New Mexico
New Mexico has $4.5 billion in state funding sitting untouched
$4.5 billion has been allocated for hundreds of projects throughout New Mexico, but it’s just sitting unspent. That’s the total state lawmakers discovered in their latest capital outlay quarterly report.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — $4.5 billion has been allocated for hundreds of projects throughout New Mexico, but it’s just sitting unspent. That’s the total state lawmakers discovered in their latest capital outlay quarterly report.
There are six pages of what’s called red-rated projects – plans with state money already set aside that have made almost no progress.
For example, in 2022, lawmakers approved $10 million for pedestrian improvements in Old Town and the Sawmill District in Albuquerque. None of that money has been spent.
Over at UNM, $2 million was dedicated to health care lab improvements in 2021. Only around half a million has been spent.
Lawmakers awarded $1 million to renovate Santa Fe’s Midtown Campus in 2021. Officials haven’t spent a dime. So what’s the problem?
“It’s 112 different people making 112 different decisions without a lot of planning or coordination,” said Kristina Fisher, the associate director of Think New Mexico.
Fisher says the state’s capital outlay process is unique and outdated.
“Big projects don’t get fully funded and so a lot of the time there is money sitting on the sidelines because it is for a project that needs $10 million and a legislator was able to give them $2 million,” Fisher said.
Fisher said paying for projects in layers adds up because construction costs grow every year, so they’re perpetually underfunded. On top of that, communication is another problem.
“Sometimes funding will go to projects that the local government didn’t know about, didn’t request, doesn’t want, so that can slow that down,” Fisher said.
Think New Mexico is one of the groups calling for changes to the way the state handles capital outlay. Instead of allocating money for each lawmaker to spend on projects in their districts, Fisher believes the state should pool the money together and then distribute it more evenly and efficiently.
“So you would have local governments and agencies saying, this is what we need for higher ed construction, this is what we need for roads, for water systems, and figure out, gosh, we have a high priority need for pipelines over here and over there, and let’s make sure those get fully funded and are on track to go right now,” Fisher said.
This past legislative session, the governor signed a bill ensuring there’s better tracking of those capital outlay funds being spent.
To see the capital outlay quarterly report and all of the red-rated projects, click here.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife rereleased a wolf into Grand County this week after it had traveled into New Mexico, according to a news release.
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish captured gray wolf 2403 and returned the animal to Colorado.
Colorado wildlife officials decided to release the wolf in Grand County yesterday because of the proximity to “an unpaired female gray wolf,” nearby prey populations and distance from livestock, according to the release.
“Gray wolf 2403 has been returned to Colorado and released in a location where it can best contribute to CPW’s efforts to establish a self-sustaining wolf population while concurrently attempting to minimize potential wolf-related livestock conflicts,” said acting director of CPW Laura Clellan, according to the release.
The wolf was once a member of the Copper Creek pack but departed from it this fall.
A memorandum of understanding between Colorado and Arizona, New Mexico and Utah requires that any gray wolves that leave Colorado and enter those states be returned. That was created in part to maintain the integrity of a Mexican wolf recovery program.
“We recognized during the planning process that we would need to have consideration and plans to protect the genetic integrity of the Mexican wolf recovery program, while also establishing a gray wolf population in Colorado,” said CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell, according to the release.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A judge sentenced a New Mexico man to nearly 20 years in prison for distributing meth and having guns in his possession to use while doing so.
Court records indicate 43-year-old David Amaya sold meth from a trailer on his parents’ property in Anthony throughout July and August 2024. Agents executed a search warrant Aug. 22 and found 1.18 kilograms of meth, two firearms and ammunition in the trailer and a makeshift bathroom.
Amaya pleaded guilty to possession of meth with intent to distribute it. A judge sentenced him to 235 months in prison.
Once he is out, Amaya will face five years of supervised release.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Las Cruces Metro Narcotics Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Williams prosecuted it.
The New Mexico Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 10, 2025, results for each game:
Powerball
10-16-29-33-69, Powerball: 22, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Day: 8-2-7
Evening: 6-9-2
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Lotto America
03-13-37-42-44, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 03
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-0-7-8
Day: 3-7-2-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Roadrunner Cash
02-04-06-21-22
Check Roadrunner Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Powerball Double Play
13-15-51-67-68, Powerball: 08
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Las Cruces Sun-News editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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