Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 124, No. 59 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
March 10, 2015
Tuesday
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State auditor reports $4.5B in unspent funds By Jeff Tucker Record Staff Writer
The state auditor announced Monday it has uncovered about $4.5 billion of unspent governmental funds in the first of a series of reports examining the use of public funds in New Mexico. The auditor’s office said as of June 30, 2014, there was about $4.5 billion of unspent state funds spread across 737 different accounts throughout state agencies and affiliated entities, excluding fiduciary funds, such as pension funds. “The report identified funds that are sitting on the sidelines in our state agencies,” State Auditor Tim Keller said in a statement. “As our state copes with revenue shortfalls and ever-increasing public spending needs for infrastructure and education, it is critical that every dollar possible
be utilized.” The Government Accountability Office at the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor on Monday released the “Money on the Sidelines” report, the first in a series of reports disclosing public dollars that were allocated, but remained unspent. The report focuses on the accounts of various state agencies, with subsequent volumes to examine and identify local funds. A review and compilation of all 737 of the state’s independently audited agencies revealed a total of $4.7 billion in fund balances that have accrued in an array of state governmental funds, the state auditor’s office reported. Of the $4.7 billion, $4.5 billion was unspent funds, with the remaining $200 million designated as non-spendable funds. Of the $4.5 billion of unspent funds, the report found almost $2 billion resided in unspent capi-
tal infrastructure funds, including approximately $1.2 billion in incomplete capital outlay projects and $1 billion in infrastructure funds for road and water projects, primarily in the New Mexico Finance Authority and the state’s Environment Department. The report also found $738 million was unspent for water projects by various state agencies, $503 million was unspent restricted special revenue funds spread across more than 260 different funds ranging from the Job Training Incentive Program to Medicaid fund surpluses, and $42 million was unspent for education projects within funds at the Public Education Department and the Public School Facilities Authority. Approximately $30 million was in unspent assigned and unassigned balances in the operationSee UNSPENT, Page A3
Courtesy Graphic
The table above lists the governmental fund balances and classifications of fund balances compiled for all state agencies for FY14 or prior years when agencies did not have a completed and approved FY14 independent audit.
Singing to the choir
Submitted Photo
Goddard High School was entertained Monday morning by the Eastern New Mexico University choir program from Portales. The choir began its spring tour Sunday night at the First United Methodist Church in Roswell. The group will be traveling through to Carlsbad, Hobbs and West Texas. The ENMU choirs are under the direction of Jason Paulk. The vocal and choral program at ENMU is comprehensive and features the talent of many outstanding undergraduate student musicians. The group brought down its Chamber Singers and Swanee Singers, which performed songs like “ O Sing Joyfully” by A. Batten, “Santus” by J. Rutter and “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.
Challenge could halt PARCC
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — A legal challenge by a Washington-based testing company may halt a controversial assessment exam in New Mexico and could tangle up other states using the same test. A Santa Fe judge is scheduled to hear arguments today in an appeal by the American Institutes for Research that wants to limit a potentially multiyear contract given to Pearson for Common Core testing. Last year, the London-based Pearson was awarded a contact given out by states belonging to a consortium for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exam, or PARCC. According to court documents filed in Santa Fe District Court, the New Mexico Public Education Department’s requirements “unlawfully restricted com-
petition by including a number of specifications that heavily favored one particular vendor and effectively precluded competition by requiring the use of one vendor’s propriety system” among other limitations. New Mexico is a member of a PARCC consortium that originally included 11 other states and the District of Columbia. That consortium, court documents say, “had an irreparable conflict of interest” in helping shape requirements for the contract that was crafted especially for Pearson. AIR wants to reduce Pearson’s contract to a year and is seeking another bidding process for later contact years following a ruling by the New Mexico purchasing agent that the See PARCC, Page A3
Homeschool convention Measles comeback looms scheduled in Albuquerque
The New Mexico Christian Homeschool Convention will be held at the Legacy Church of Albuquerque, 7201 Central Ave NW. The dates are April 16-18. Online registration is $50 for members and $70 for non-members, with an additional cost of $12 for an additional person. Registration at the door
is $65 for members and $85 for non-members with an additional cost of $12 for an additional person. On April 16, there is a free Getting Started Workshop from 12:30-3:30 p.m., and onsite registration opens at 1:30 p.m. Paid registration includes general sessions with national speakers Jeff Myers, Carol Barnier and
William Estrada, 60 hours of informative workshops, the Used Curriculum Sale, and 17 1/2 hours of homeschool shopping. A children’s program available for ages 1-12. To register, contact registration@cape-nm.org. For more information, visit cape-nm.org or call 505-898-8548.
Licensure bill that would reduce credit hours to teach passes Senate Staff Report The bill that would reduce the mandatory credit hours needed to enter into the College of Education for elementary and secondary education licensure was adopted by the New Mexico Senate Monday. Students wanting to be elementary and secondary school teachers in New Mexico could graduate quicker and get into the classroom faster if the bill becomes law, said state Sen. Gay Kernan, sponsor of Senate Bill 329, which passed the Senate Monday by a 39-2 vote.
It now goes to the New Mexico House of Representatives for consideration. “New Mexico needs to reduce its credit requirements so students wanting to be teachers can graduate within four or 4 1/2 years like they do for most other college degrees,” Kernan said. “New Mexico needs teachers and those wanting to be in the teaching field want to be able to graduate in a timely manner and get to work teaching the kiddos and earn a living. Requiring more course credit hours than our neighboring states require, and more than many other college degrees require, has been negativeToday’s Forecast
HIGH 67 LOW 36
ly impacting the teaching field.” The bill, designed to encourage more students to enter the teaching field, would also add two additional weeks of student teaching and would positively affect those students seeking reciprocal licensing from other states. The bill reduces the mandatory coursework from 57 arts and science credit hours to 41 credit hours to enter the College of Education. It also increases student teaching from 14 weeks to 16 weeks.
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Measles is making a comeback nationwide, and one University of New Mexico Hospital pediatrician is urging parents to vaccinate their children. Dr. Randall Knott, assistant pediatrics professor at UNM, said there is yet to be a reported case of measles in New Mexico, but the national average is currently at 170 cases, approaching a record high in recent decades. This is concerning, he said, considering that just four years ago the United States was at a record low. “It’s a disease that’s existed for thousands of years, and we had accomplished fantastic results from all the success we’ve had with vaccinating children,” he said. “That just goes to show how really fantastic the vaccine is.” But it’s not quite as simple
Submitted Photo Dr. Randall Knott, assistant pediatrics professor at UNM, is urging parents to get their children vaccinated for measles, in light of a growing number of infections in the United States. Knott said there is overwhelming evidence that the vaccine does not cause autism. in terms of choosing not to as that, he said. “It’s emerged as a growing vaccinate their children.” concern because of choices See MEASLES, Page A2 that parents have arrived at,
Lobbying ban bill passes House
Staff Report
A bill that would bar state officials from becoming lobbyists immediately after leaving their government posts was adopted by the New Mexico House of Representatives Monday. House Bill 241 would require elected officials and some government workers to wait two
years after leaving their posts to become paid lobbyists. It passed the House Monday by a 57-10 vote. “This bill will bring more integrity to government, and we owe that to the people,” said state Rep. Jim Dines, R-Albuquerque, the bill’s sponsor. “I am glad my colleagues joined me in voting for this common-sense legislation.”
The ban would include statewide elected officials, former Public Regulation Commissioners, state lawmakers and cabinet secretaries. Gov. Susana Martinez has a similar two-year lobbying ban for administration officials. Dines said the legislation would bring New Mexico in line with 32 other states that have similar lobbying bans in place.
Index
Today’s Obituaries Page A6
• Johnny Wesley Clements
Classifieds...........B6
• Walter McTeigue
Financial..............B4
Comics..................B5
General...............A2 Horoscopes.........B6 Lotteries. ............A2 Opinion.................A4
Sports. ................B1 Weather...............A8 World..................A8