By Cedar Attanasio, Associated Press
New Mexico Democrats say they re closer than ever to increasing withdrawals from one of the country s largest endowments to fund education initiatives.
Increasing annual payouts from the $20 billion Land Grant Permanent Fund would require voters to approve a constitutional amendment. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says a 1% increase in distributions should be set aside to fund early childhood education.
While the withdrawals will decrease future growth of the fund, Democratic legislators argue that the state needs to invest more in education. They say public sentiment is shifting in their favor, and a new crop of progressive legislators can get the needed resolution passed.
Officials tour possible Space Command site at New Mexico’s Kirtland Air Force Base The Associated Press (Air Force) ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Air Force officials have toured the grounds of Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque to evaluate the site as a possible location for the U.S. Space Command. Strategic basing officials during the Thursday tour focused primarily on infrastructure at the base to house the Space Command, the latest of 11 unified commands under the U.S. Department of Defense, the Albuquerque Journal reported. Kirtland is one of six locations being considered. The others include Patrick Air Force Base in Florida, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, Redstone Army Airfield in Alabama, Port San Antonio in Texas and its current temporary headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.
Air Force officials have toured the grounds of Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque to evaluate the site as a possible location for the U.S. Space Command.