- HIGHER EDUCATION ENROLLMENT
Predictions vary on New Mexico higher education enrollmentSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Higher education leaders and lawmakers have debated the future of New Mexico college enrollment in a legislative hearing. While New Mexico's higher education secretary believes it will rise like it did after the 2008 recession, some lawmakers think it will continue declining. Officials said Tuesday that preliminary data suggests freshman enrollment is up this fall at state-funded universities. But some current students are failing to complete credits because of financial and childcare disruptions. Some lawmakers are concerned that high school students won't graduate and as a result won't have college as an option.
- FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY STRUGGLES
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — A natural gas pipeline that would have connected an oil field in New Mexico and Texas to markets in the Gulf Coast has been halted as the fossil fuel industry struggles during the coronavirus pandemic. The Carlsbad Current-Argus reported that officials with Permian Global Access Pipeline, a subsidiary of Houston-based natural gas producer Tellurian, withdrew its application to build the 625-mile pipeline. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission first approved the request to begin the application process in September 2019. Permian Global Access Pipeline LLC President Joey Mahmoud said that current market conditions meant the project was not financially viable and that the company could resume if the market recovers.
- FILM SUBSIDIES-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The budget and accountability office of New Mexico's Legislature is cautioning that the cost of film tax credit payments to producers such as Netflix could grow quickly and unpredictably in coming years. A Legislative Finance Committee report on Tuesday said preliminary estimates indicate that new production commitments by Netflix, announced in November, could increase annual tax credit payouts by $25 million beginning next fiscal year. The state expects to pay out nearly $100 million in film production tax credits in the coming fiscal year, starting in July 2021, and $147 million the following year. Budget analysts say costs to taxpayers could quickly grow further through partnerships with the film industry.
- HOSPITAL TURNED HOMELESS SHELTER
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — City officials say they plan to buy a former Albuquerque hospital and turn it into a homeless shelter and services hub. Mayor Tim Keller said Tuesday that the city is working to purchase the former Lovelace hospital although the price wasn't immediately disclosed. Keller told the Albuquerque Journal that the property would provide emergency shelter beds, an around-the-clock dropoff site for first responders and a home for on-site medical and behavioral health services. New Mexico currently is leasing 360,000 square feet of the facility as a COVID-19 emergency hospital and Keller says the city's purchase would not disrupt that.
- ARIZONA NUCLEAR PLANT-OWNERSHIP
PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona public utility is increasing its ownership share in the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station located west of Phoenix. The Salt River Project announced that its board has approved the purchase of part of Public Service Co. of New Mexico's ownership along with some transmission assets for about $70 million plus the cost of the plant's associated nuclear fuel inventory. When the deal is completed, SRP says its ownership share will be about 20% of the plant's total capacity. SRP says its purchase of 114 megawatts of Palo Verde's output from PNM will provide additional energy needed to serve increasing customer demand.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Top health officials say New Mexico has a solid plan in place to stretch hospital and health care resources as far as possible before having to ration care. But they also warned during an update Tuesday that the state could face that prospect if the coronavirus pandemic worsens. Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase said there are hospitals around New Mexico facing extremely high demands. He said state health officials are likely to formally declare that providers are at a stage where rationing care is possible. Officials stressed that the tools for making such decisions are objective and based on equity and fairness.
- STATE BUDGET-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — State economists are predicting a rebound in New Mexico state government income for the fiscal year that starts in July 2021, on top of multibillion-dollar financial reserves. Economists for the Legislature and three state agencies said Tuesday that the state anticipates an increase in general fund revenues of $163 million over current annual spending obligations. That's roughly a 2% increase. The state is likely to finish the fiscal year in July with $2.4 billion in financial reserves. That leaves New Mexico well-positioned to maintain funding for essential services in public education, public safety, health care and more amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- HEALTH ORDERS-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's governor and top health officials are trying to fend off a flurry of lawsuits by businesses owners who say financial losses caused by the state's pandemic health orders amount to a regulatory taking and should be compensated. The administration of Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is urging the state Supreme Court to intervene and defuse the lawsuits. On Tuesday, an attorney for small businesses said state law supports public compensation for the pandemic response. Arguments are scheduled in January at the Supreme Court. At least 14 lawsuits initially filed in district court describe pandemic-related health orders as a regulatory "taking" that merits just compensation to businesses.