DALLAS – New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez line-item vetoed 153 projects valued at $8.2 million, reducing the state's severance tax bond authority to $158 million.
Martinez's vetoes on three infrastructure bills reduced authorized spending by $19.7 million, leaving $385 million available.
In an executive message to legislative leaders, the Republican governor criticized lawmakers for piecemeal funding and for killing bills to improve transparency in the capital outlay system.
"It is frustrating and disappointing to watch how the Legislature squanders critical infrastructure funding – choosing to spend money on local pork projects that often do not create jobs or develop the economy instead of pooling resources to make long-lasting, impactful improvements throughout the state," Martinez said in her executive message.
Sen. Pete Campos, D-Las Vegas, said 21 projects were vetoed from this year's bill in his northern New Mexico legislative district. Those projects would have helped the economy in his district, Campos said.
Under the state's current system, lawmakers are allocated a set amount of funding that they can use for infrastructure projects in their legislative districts.
Martinez vetoed every project of $10,000 or less in the bond funding bill, House Bill 219. Another capital outlay bill, Senate Bill 172, reauthorizes spending of unused capital outlay dollars from previous years. Martinez vetoed $581,000 of projects from that bill, leaving $52.5 million intact.
"For many of the projects that received $10,000 or less, it is worth noting that the simple cost of complying with the issuance process of severance tax bonds could cost the entities receiving these appropriations more than the appropriation itself," Martinez said.
