Thu, Aug 19, 2004
New Mexico's Republicans Want A Delay, AG Agrees
Believe it or not,
they're still fighting in New Mexico over the plane Governor Bill
Richardson wants to buy.
As ANN reported back in June, the
Democratic governor wants to buy a $4 million turboprop to replace
the state's 1966 Aero-Commander. The proposal has done the bump and
grind through the state's legislative process, only to end up at
the center of partisan politics.
"It's a safety concern. It's a cost issue. It's something that
needs to happen," said New Mexico Transportation Secretary Rhonda
Faught. It's the same thing she's been saying for months. But now,
Republicans in the legislature say the Richardson administration is
pulling a classic bait-and-switch. It seems the Aero-Commander was
fitted with a camera to monitor the progress of road construction.
While the camera is being installed in another, older aircraft,
Republicans are crying foul because the funds for replacing the
plane are dedicated to roads.
Ironically, Attorney General Patricia Madrid -- a Democrat --
has ruled the money for a new aircraft should go "for the
construction and maintenance of roads and bridges -- not to buy a
passenger plane to fly government officials around."
But that's exactly what the state's RFP says: "The aircraft's
primary mission will involve the transportation of government
officials within, but not limited to, the State of New Mexico."
Madrid says that's downright illegal. Faught disagrees. If the
two can't resolve their differences, the whole thing could end up
in court.
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