By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
SANTA FE – And now there are four.
Businessman, editor and writer Alan Webber became the fourth Democrat to enter the race to challenge Republican Gov. Susana Martinez on Monday, announcing his candidacy while making media appearances in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
“I consider myself a pro-business, progressive Democrat,” Webber, 65, [...]

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
ALBUQUERQUE — He never had his image carved on Mount Rushmore and he was best-known as a man of few words but thanks to a surprising best-selling book, Calvin Coolidge is getting an historical makeover.
And with the United States staggering under a $1- billion national debt, perhaps “Silent Cal” can [...]

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
The New Mexico economy is estimated to be one-fourth to one-third dependent on federal dollars.
That’s a staggering figure and begs the question: What should the state do to diversify its economy, especially seeing how the recent partial government shutdown affected New Mexico and came within a whisker of shutting [...]

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
SANTA FE – He may not have the name recognition — and he certainly doesn’t have the campaign war chest — of U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, but 33-year-old David Clements says the nation fiscal problems are so severe making a run for the U.S. Senate is a chance worth [...]

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange appears to have had a smooth roll-out, signing up small businesses and their employees as part of the Affordable Care Act.
But, as reported on New Mexico Watchdog, thousands of people in the state looking for information on individual policies have [...]

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
SANTA FE – Flooding in the state last month was a once-in-a-century event, the New Mexico Secretary-designate of the Department of Transportation said.
But some lawmakers are questioning nearly $20 million to repair roads damaged by the downpours.
In particular, a two-mile stretch in Catron County estimated to cost taxpayers $13 [...]

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
SANTA FE – New Mexico Watchdog in June pored over statistics from the Social Security Administration and found New Mexico had one of the nation’s largest increases in people receiving disability benefits.
Between 2003 and 2011 — the most recent year available for states — New Mexico saw an increase [...]

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
A New Mexico Watchdog story highlighting a national study on state pension plans came up for discussion on KNME-TV’s public affairs program, “New Mexico In Focus,” broadcast in most parts of the state.
According to State Budget Solutions, public employee retirement promises in the United States are underfunded by $4.1 [...]

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
“Saturday Night Live” may not have the bite it used to have back in the John Belushi days, but it did open its show this weekend with a spoof on the rollout of the Affordable Care Act.
In the skit, President Obama — as modern politicians are wont to do [...]

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
ALBUQUERQUE – By the end of next year, New Mexico consumers will know whether the state health-care exchange is a success — or a failure.
So says the consumer advocate on the board of the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange.
“It will not take long,” Dr. Deane Waldman told New Mexico [...]