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NM Watchdog investigation shows big increases in ‘institutional spending’ at state universities

Do universities in New Mexico spend too much money on what's called "institutional support" compared to academic support and instruction? A New Mexico Watchdog investigation into schools of higher education in the state shows that in an 11-year period, spending for services associated with running a university has almost uniformly risen much faster than spending on education and academics in general. Here's what we found after looking ...
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Investigations

Part 2 of NM’s audit crisis: No paperwork? Then you get no capital outlay goodies

By Rob Nikolewski on May 13, 2013
Government entities be warned: Fail to submit an audit to the state and say good-bye to some of that state money you want. In Part 1 of our investigation into agencies, school districts, communities and other entities that haven’t turned in proper audits of taxpayer dollars they’ve received or spent, New Mexico Watchdog focused on the [...]Read More>>

New Mexico’s audit crisis and the Dirty 59: “A culture of a lack of accountability”

By Rob Nikolewski on May 8, 2013
By law, every organization in New Mexico that receives or spends public funds has to turn in an audit each year. “If a government is going to spend taxpayer money they should be able to account and submit a full accounting of those activities every year,” State Auditor Hector Balderas said. “It’s a fundamental check and [...]Read More>>

Sticker shock: Increases of 124% and higher at 5 of 6 NM universities since 1999

By Rob Nikolewski on April 22, 2013
If you’re a student at one of New Mexico’s four-year universities — or if you’re a parent paying for your kid to attend college — you may be thinking, “the price tag for college always seems to get higher every year.” Well, your hunch is grounded in fact. A New Mexico Watchdog investigation into the data that the [...]Read More>>

Tuition hikes just business as usual at UNM — 170% increase in 15 years

By Rob Nikolewski on April 10, 2013
Regents at the University of New Mexico made headlines Tuesday (April 9) when they voted another increase in tuition – a whopping 13.2 percent hike for some students — but  a review of university records shows it’s merely the latest in a series of hikes in the cost of attending the state’s largest institution of higher education. New Mexico Watchdog checked with the information UNM officials [...]Read More>>

Changes Coming to New Mexico Watchdog

By Jim Scarantino on January 7, 2013
You will be seeing something different at New Mexico Watchdog very soon.  A new investigative reporter will be among the changes.  I’ve taken my leave to finish the novel that’s been collecting dust in the corner of my desk and to experience more of this wonderous world we share. A website redesign is around the corner.  [...]Read More>>

Read more Unleashed here.

Capitol Report

Interior Department sets new rule for ‘fracking’

By Rob Nikolewski on May 16, 2013
The new boss at the U.S. Department of the Interior has established a new rule for hydraulic fracturing (commonly called “fracking”) on federal lands that seems to have pleased neither environmentalists nor oil and gas producers. According to the Associated Press, new Interior secretary Sally Jewell and the Obama administration announced Thursday (May 16) that companies that drill for [...]Read More>>

Japanese officials tour NM in search of natural gas deal

By Rob Nikolewski on May 15, 2013
It’s not just a pipe dream: Japan is interested in acquiring natural gas from New Mexico. But whether it will ever get across the Pacific Ocean is an open question. An executive for Japan’s state-run energy corporation has been touring of New Mexico natural gas facilities this week and met on Monday (May 13) with Lt. Governor [...]Read More>>

Lujan offers House bill to protest Obama sequestration cut

By Rob Nikolewski on May 14, 2013
First, it was the administration of Republican Gov. Susana Martinez. Then, it was Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Udall. Now, Democratic U.S. House of Representatives member Ben Ray Luján is complaining about the Obama administration’s 5.1 percent reduction for states who get mineral and energy royalties from the federal government. On Tuesday (May 14), Rep. Luján joined other members [...]Read More>>

NM Tea Party group says IRS has hassled them UPDATE: State GOP wants action

By Rob Nikolewski on May 13, 2013
News over the weekend that the Internal Revenue Service admitted targeting tea party groups and other conservative organizations across the country wasn’t shocking to the leader of the Albuquerque Tea Party. They’ve been a target since 2009, Albuquerque Tea Party President RiIck Harbaugh told New Mexico Watchdog on Monday. “I’d call it harassment,” Harbaugh said. “They’re trying [...]Read More>>

Udall challenges Obama administration on sequestration hit on mineral royalties

By Rob Nikolewski on May 9, 2013
Sen. Tom Udall has been a loyal supporter of President Obama, but the New Mexico Democrat is at odds over a move to take $26 million from the state in mineral and energy royalties and now he’s taking his case to the Senate itself. Udall on Thursday (May 9) will introduce the State Mineral Revenue Protection [...]Read More>>

Read more Capitol Reports here.

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