NM Daily Lobo 09 23

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Daily Lobo new mexico

The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895

tuesday September 23, 2014 | Volume 119 | Issue 27

2014 court to be chosen Homecoming has descended upon UNM once again, and this week a new homecoming king and queen will be crowned. Five women and four men are vying for the two spots. Students may vote in the SUB near the welcome desk north of the food court between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m Wednesday.

Photo Courtesy UNM Newsroom

2014 Homecoming King & Queen ballot guide

1

Vital Mazor

Senior liberal arts major Cultures United

1

Maurio Castellano

Junior biology major Alpha Nu

2

Sophie Salcedo

Senior political science major Chi Omega

2

Cameron Rodger Junior business administration major Alpha Tau Omega

3

Katie Lichtie

Senior nursing major Pi Beta Phi

3

4

Jordan Dautenhahn Junior special education major Phi Delta Theta

Jade Sierra

Senior political science major Kappa Kappa Gamma

4 5

Oma E-Nunu

Senior journalism major Sigma Chi

Miranda Zook

Senior signed language interpreter major Alpha Chi Omega

Gubernatorial candidates debate education, taxes By Barry Massey

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Republican incumbent Susana Martinez and Democratic challenger Gary King sparred Monday over the economy and education in their first appearance together at a candidate forum in New Mexico’s race for governor. King went on the offensive quickly and complained in his opening remarks about a Martinez campaign ad that focused on his role as attorney general in the case of a felon who defrauded investors. “The real reason that we have ads like that in campaigns now is because we don’t want to talk about the real, hard truth in New Mexico,” King said. “The real, hard

truth in New Mexico is that we have the worst economy in the country.” He pointed out that New Mexico has lagged behind other states in job growth and has the secondhighest poverty rate in the nation. Martinez jabbed at King for supporting tax increases to help solve a budget shortfall two decades ago when he served in the Legislature. “He’s has raised taxes before, and he has no regrets. And he’ll do it again when government gets into a pinch,” Martinez said. “We cannot afford to go backward.” King said the tax increases in 1987 were necessary because public schools would have been harmed if the state hadn’t solved its budget problems after oil and gas revenues dropped sharply.

Martinez said tax cuts enacted during her administration have made New Mexico more attractive to businesses. Later in the day, she said, her administration planned to announce a manufacturer was moving to New Mexico from California. “We have rolled out the welcome mat and companies are coming,” said Martinez. King took issue with the governor’s approach to economic development. He said the state “shouldn’t sort of go out there and willy-nilly give tax cuts.” He suggested focusing on developing the alternative energy industry, such as solar and wind power companies, and promoting new uses for natural gas.

The forum was hosted in Albuquerque by more than a dozen business, real estate and construction groups. About 500 people attended and the forum was broadcast live by a local TV station. On education, Martinez reiterated her support for legislation to hold back third graders rather than promoting them further if they can’t read proficiently. Children who struggle to learn in the early grades, she said, are at a greater risk of problems later in school. The governor also touted a program implemented during her administration for grading schools A-to-F. King said the state needed to make early childhood education programs available to all children

rather than a small portion of the population. “If we want New Mexico to grow and be better, we have to give every single child in New Mexico the equal opportunity to learn,” he said. The state should increase the yearly distribution from one of New Mexico’s permanent funds to help finance an expansion of early childhood education services, King said. Opponents of the proposal, including Martinez, contend it would erode the fund’s growth and lessen distributions for future generations. Barry Massey is a writer for the Associated Press.


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