Veto surprises, concerns universities
SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico universities were already bracing for funding cuts, but not like this.
Gov. Susana Martinez on Friday used her line-item veto power to remove all state funding for New Mexico colleges and universities from a Legislature-approved fiscal year 2018 spending package.
Neither side in the ongoing state budget debate indicated Friday that universities would actually enter the next fiscal year without state funding.
Michael Lonergan, spokesman for the Republican governor, expressed optimism Friday that a special session would yield a new budget plan that would not raise taxes – a major sticking point for Martinez – but still fund higher education.
Read more: https://www.abqjournal.com/984788/veto-surprises-concerns-universities.html