Employers add over 200K jobs amid higher interest rates
Bishop’s Lodge developer sues owner for $20M
HORSEMEN GET BLOWN OUT Defending Class 3A state champs no match for visiting Bosque SPORTS, B-1
NATION & WORLD, A-2
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LOCAL & REGION, A-7
Saturday, January 6, 2024 santafenewmexican.com $1.50
High court to Lawmakers: Budget keeps state stable decide Trump eligibility for Colo.’s ballot Finance committee’s proposal represents $566M increase over current fiscal year’s spending By Robert Nott
rnott@sfnewmexican.com
Not since Bush v. Gore have justices taken such central role in a presidential election
State lawmakers have unveiled a $10.1 billion budget proposal they say will help keep New Mexico on sound financial footing if the oil and gas boom that pays for almost half the state’s spending cools down in the coming years.
Their proposal is about $400 million smaller than the fiscal year 2025 budget Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham unveiled Thursday in advance of the 30-day legislative session starting in a week and a half. George The goal, members of the Muñoz Legislative Finance Committee said during a news conference Friday, is to build new trust funds and find ways to stretch out this year’s record revenue into future years rather than blow it
in just one. “It’s an approach that creates longevity in the budgeting process,” said Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, chairman of both the Legislative Finance Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. This approach will let lawmakers “go every single year for five to 10 years without having to cut” funding in the future if revenue drops, he said. “It keeps the state of New Mexico able to grow over the next couple of years without Please see story on Page A-4
By Adam Liptak
The New York Times
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide whether former President Donald Trump is eligible for Colorado’s Republican primary ballot, thrusting the justices into a pivotal role that could alter the course of this year’s presidential election. The sweep of the court’s ruling is likely to be broad. It will probably resolve not only whether Trump may appear on the Colorado primary ballot after the state’s top court declared that he had engaged in insurrection in his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, but it will most likely also determine his eligibility to run in the general election and to hold office at all. Not since Bush v. Gore, the 2000 decision that handed the presidency to George W. Bush, has the Supreme Court taken such a central role in an election for the nation’s highest office. The case will be argued Feb. 8, and the court will probably decide it quickly. The Colorado Republican Party had urged the justices to rule by March 5, when many states, including Colorado, hold primaries. The number of challenges to Trump’s eligibility across the country can only have added pressure on the court to hear the Colorado case, as they underscored the need for a nationwide resolution of the question. The case is one of several involving or affecting Trump on the court’s docket or on the horizon. An appeals court will hear arguments Tuesday on whether he has absolute immunity from prosecution, and the losing side is all but certain to
‘Building back’ after upheaval Animal shelter finances recovering with ‘committed’ board following departures, criticism over policies
Please see story on Page A-4
Biden warns against Trump reelection in Valley Forge speech Remarks at historic Revolutionary War site mark his 1st political event this election year PHOTOS BY LUIS SÁNCHEZ SATURNO/THE NEW MEXICAN
By Colleen Long and Zeke Miller
The Associated Press
BLUE BELL, Pa. — President Joe Biden warned Friday that former President Donald Trump’s efforts to retake the White House in 2024 pose a grave threat to the country, the day before the third anniversary of the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol by Trump’s supporters aiming to keep him in power. Speaking near Valley Forge, Pa., where George Washington and the Continental Army spent a bleak winter nearly 250 years ago, Biden said that Jan. 6, 2021, marked a moment where “we nearly lost America — lost it all.” He said the presidential race — a likely rematch with Trump, who is the far and away GOP frontrunner — is “all about” whether American democracy will survive. The speech, the president’s first political event of the election year, was intended to clarify the expected choice for voters this fall. Biden, who reentered political life because he felt he was best capable of defeating Trump in 2020, believes focusing on defending democracy to be central to persuading voters to reject Trump once again. “We all know who Donald Trump is,” Biden said. “The question we have to answer is who are we?” Biden laid out Trump’s role in the Capitol attack as a mob of the Republican’s supporters overran the building while lawmakers were counting Electoral College votes that certified Democrat Biden’s win. More than 100 police officers were bloodied, beaten and attacked by the rioters who overwhelmed authorities to break into the building. “What’s Trump done? He’s called these insurrectionists ‘patriots,’ ” Biden said, “and he promised to pardon them if he returns to office.” He excoriated Trump for “glorifying” rather Please see story on Page A-5
Pasapick Today
Verdi’s Nabucco, with baritone George Gagnidze and soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska as his vengeful daughter Abigaille; 11 a.m.; Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W. San Francisco Street, 505-988-1234; $22-$28; lensic.org.
Day snow possible, cloudy at night High 31, low 17.
More events Fridays in Pasatiempo
PAGE A-10
Index
Classifieds B-6
Comics B-10
By Maya Hilty
mhilty@sfnewmexican.com
A
wave of criticism of the Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society last year has quieted, but shelter policies have not changed — yet. New board Chairwoman Sheila Vaughn, one of four people who resigned and then returned to the board following the August departure of former CEO Jack Hagerman, said she remains concerned about some existing policies. “I’m just also very committed to creating something going forward that can last ... and that’s a pretty complicated situation,” Vaughn said. “It’s taking time to do that.” The good news: The board has stabilized with what Vaughn called a “committed” group of seven members, in addition to interim CEO Caren Shiozaki, and has made progress toward hiring a new CEO. The board started interviewing candidates and hopes to have a new person in the nonprofit’s top job in the spring. The shelter’s finances also have recovered from last year’s upheaval. Donations returned to their usual pace after a decline last spring and summer, and large end-of-year gifts have put the shelter
have not yet come forward with their usual donations. “I think that will change as they hear more good news and are aware of what’s happening
in a “good place,” said Pamela Weese Powell, the philanthropy director. “I think there are still people, understandably, out there who are waiting to see what’s going to happen with the shelter,” Vaughn said. “They haven’t written us off, but they
Please see story on Page A-4
Torrez says fake GOP electors can’t be prosecuted
pasatiempomagazine.com
‘The Met: Live in HD’
ABOVE: Mia Sanders, 4, of Los Alamos leans over the shoulder of her father, Bobby Sanders, as they pet Cherry, a dog up for adoption, Wednesday at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society. BELOW: Tommy, 11 months, gets some attention Wednesday at the animal shelter from Dylan Moore, senior director of operations at the animal shelter.
Crosswords B-6, B-9
Design and headlines: Nick Baca, nbaca@sfnewmexican.com
State’s AG says lawmakers should change laws to enhance electoral security By Susan Montoya Bryan and Morgan Lee The Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico’s top prosecutor said Friday the state’s five Republican electors cannot be Local & Region A-7
Lotteries A-2
prosecuted under the current law for filing election certificates that falsely declared Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 presidential race. However, Democratic Attorney General Raúl Torrez is making recommendations to state lawmakers that he says would enhance the security of the state’s electoral process and provide legal authority for prosecuting similar conduct in the future. Opinion A-9
Religion B-5
Sports B-1
New Mexico is one of several states where fake electors attempted to cast ballots indicating Trump had won, a strategy at the center of criminal charges against Trump and his associates. Democratic officials launched separate investigations in some states, resulting in indictments against GOP electors. Fake certificates were submitted in the Please see story on Page A-4 Time Out B-9
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Raúl Torrez
175th year, No. 6 Publication No. 596-440