Roswell Daily Record
Senate sends tax-rate bill to House
Vol. 119, No. 300 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Pecos Valley Rehabilitation Suites, 1601 S. Main St., celebrated its one-year anniversary with a ribboncutting ceremony and holiday party Tuesday. “We wanted to have a birthday party and holiday... - PAGE A2
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a reach across party lines, the Senate overwhelmingly passed sweeping legislation Wednesday to prevent a Jan. 1 income tax increase for millions and to renew jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed. A House vote is expected by Thursday. Within moments of the 8119 Senate vote, President Barack Obama urged the House to follow suit without making any changes — a slap at rebellious liberals working to stiffen the terms of an estate tax provision they characterize as a giveaway to millionaires and billionaires. “I know there are different aspects of this plan to which members of Congress, on both sides of the aisle,
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
December 16, 2010
THURSDAY
www.roswell-record.com object,” Obama said. “That’s the nature of compromise. But we worked hard to negotiate an agreement that’s a win for middle-class families and a win for our economy. And we can’t afford to let it fall victim to either delay or defeat.” At its core, the legislation provides a two-year extension of the tax cuts at all income levels that Congress approved while George W. Bush was president. Without action, they will expire on Dec. 31. The bill also would cut 2011 Social Security taxes for all wage earners, a reduction that will mean an extra $1,000 in take home pay for an individual earning $50,000. In addition, the legislation renews a program of jobless
Lending a helping hand
benefits for millions who were laid off more than six months ago. Officials said that without the bill, government checks will be cut off for two million Americans over the holidays, and millions more over the next year. Energy tax provisions, including extension of a government subsidy for ethanol and breaks for producers of other alternatives to oil, were added in recent days to strengthen lawmakers’ support for the measure. The legislation amounted to the first fruits of a new era of divided government, a deal sealed little more than a week ago by Obama, who is nursing a fragile economic recovery midway through his term, and Republicans whose position was greatly strengthened in last month’s
elections. Concessions made by the president sparked criticism from liberals who were angered at tax cuts for the wealthy that he had long criticized. Some provisions agreed to by Republican leaders brought objections from conservatives unhappy that the cost of the jobless benefits would swell the federal budget deficit. And in the hours before final passage, lawmakers on both sides maneuvered for political gain, a sign of renewed struggle in 2011. A Democratic attempt to ease the paperwork burden imposed by this year’s big health care bill was blocked by Republicans. Democrats countered by vetoing a GOP alternative that would have included offsetting spending
TOP 5 WEB For The Last 24 Hours
• Jennings set to keep top job • Vandals target area schools • Commission looks forward to 2011 • Battery Reported • Body IDd
SPORTS
Mark Wilson Photo
Kevin Cano struggles with a load of canned and boxed food goods as he and fellow second-graders at East Grand Plains Elementary load boxes during a food drive Wednesday. Over 1,000 items were collected, which will be donated to The Community Kitchen and the Salvation Army.
The initials of the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco football coach will be staying the same, but the name will change. Josh Lynn will be taking over the reigns of the Bronco... - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES • Geoffrey Allen Vandewart • Audrey Mae Wagner • Franklin Wright Jr. • Bobbie Lee Nichols • Roger Wayne JamesReed • Joseph Antonio Arias - PAGE A3
A fight erupted outside the district courtrooms, Wednesday after noon, immediately after the James Gomez preliminary hearing. Gomez, 20, is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing of 16-year-old Zachary Perez. The youth was found in a field near Fifth Street and Mulberry Avenue, on Feb. 14. It was the second homicide of 2010. The altercation after the hearing occurred when members of the Perez and Gomez families were trying to leave the building and ran into each other at the bottleneck by the stairs. Some 15 officers from the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office and Roswell Police Department arrived to
NMMI donates to cancer fund House votes to lift restriction on gays EMILY RUSSO MILLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
New Mexico Military Institute proudly donated $2,500 to the Chaves County Cancer Fund, Inc. on Wednesday mor ning. The funds were raised during a cancer awareness run that occurred in late September earlier this year. The current president of the CCCF, Jim Clark, and two former presidents, Ann Dye and Cindy Vaughn, accepted the check in the commandant’s office near the NMMI clock tower.
“Roswell is just so fortunate to have such a wonderful group,” Dye said of the NMMI corps of cadets. The corps of cadets organized the entire fundraiser as a leadership development training event, according to commandant of cadets, Brigadier General Richard V. Geraci. “I just give them the boundaries, and they have to execute it,” Geraci said. The cadets were led by Cadet Colonel Regis Pino, regimental commander, of Zia Pueblo. “We got a lot of help from the community,” Pino said.
“The corps just did a great job.” CCCF is a local organization that provides financial and emotional assistance to cancer patients and survivors. President Clark, who battled cancer himself, noted they help cover medical and transportation costs as well as electric, gas and food bills. “Cancer is devastating not only physically, but financially,” Clark said. He added, “All the money raised in Chaves County stays in Chaves County.”
emiller@roswell-record.com
HIGH ...63˚ LOW ....34˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........B5 COMICS.................B3 ENTERTAINMENT.....B5 FINANCIAL .............B4 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
Fight mars hearing JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
INSIDE
ALL IN THE FAMILY
cuts. In the end, though, the tax bill drew support from 44 Democrats and 37 Republicans, testament to the appeal of lower taxes and renewal of a program of aid for victims of the recession at a time of 9.8 percent unemployment. Fourteen Democrats and five Republicans voted against the bill. Obama’s call for the House to accept the Senate-passed measure continued a postelection season of contentiousness between the president and Democrats distressed that they lost their majority in November. Democratic House leaders said they intended to have the bill debated and voted on by Thursday, but declined to say what their approach would be to the estate tax.
INDEX
Courtesy Photo
NMMI presents a check to the Chaves County Cancer Fund, Inc. on Wednesday morning. From left: CCCF former presidents Cindy Vaughn and Ann Dye, CCCF President Jim Clark, Cadet Colonel Regis Pino and Brigadier General Richard V. Geraci.
WASHINGTON (AP) — For the second time this year the House voted to dismantle the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, giving the Senate a final shot in the waning days of this Congress at changing a law requiring thousands of uniformed gays to hide their sexual identity. The strong 250-175 House vote Wednesday propels the issue to the Senate, where supporters of repeal say they have the votes but perhaps not the time to get the bill to the floor. It could be the last chance for some time to legislatively end the 1993 law that forbids recruiters from asking about sexual orientation and troops from acknowledging that they are gay. Democratic leaders in the Senate say they are committed to bringing the bill to the floor before Congress adjourns for the year. But they are challenged by opposition from some Republicans and a daunting agenda that includes finishing work on legislation to fund the government and ratifying a nuclear arms treaty with Russia. No time has been set for a Senate vote on repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Failure to overturn the policy this year could
See MARS Page A2
relegate the issue to the back burner next year when Republicans, who are far less supportive of allowing openly gay individuals to serve in the military, take over the House and gain strength in the Senate. President Barack Obama, in a statement Wednesday night, said he applauded the House vote. In reiterating his support for ending the ban, he pointed to backing for repeal from the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “Moving forward with the repeal is not only the right thing to do, it will also give our military the clarity and certainty it deserves,” Obama said. “We must ensure that Americans who are willing to risk their lives for their country are treated fairly and equally by their country.” Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said in a statement after the House vote that Defense Secretary Robert Gates encourages the Senate to lift the ban and thus enable the Defense Department “to carefully and responsibly manage a change in this policy instead of risking an
See VOTE Page A2