Power Up: If your buddy lost big money gambling in Texas, would you cover his bad debts? What if your power company did the same thing? Public Service Company of New Mexico wants the state's Public Regulation Commission to approve a $123 million rate increase, which would include a 23.4 percent rate hike for its nearly half a million residential customers. The company cites the "growing demand for electricity and the need for cleaner utility resources" as justifications for the request. Apparently, state and federal renewable tax credits just aren't lucrative enough. Parent company PNM Resources reported total losses of $230 million last year, mostly thanks to a subsidiary that operates in the competitive Texas market, First Choice Power. The PRC will hold public hearings on the proposed rate hike in Albuquerque and Deming on March 25; visit nmprc.state.nm.us for more information.
Off the Bus: Lloyd Trujillo is, or was, a contracted school bus driver for Española Public Schools. Is he also a whistle-blower? According to a lawsuit filed last week in the 1st Judicial District, the school district announced a round of bus route cuts last May—none of which were Trujillo's. But then, at a public meeting, Trujillo submitted a letter to the committee in charge of cutting routes alleging that committee member Leroy Ortiz gave preferential treatment to other bus contractors—specifically, Ortiz' wife and brother-in-law. Subsequently, the committee cut Trujillo's route. He says it was retaliation. Now he is suing the district and board members for back pay, reinstatement and compensatory damages. Española School Board President Leonard Valerio denies the favoritism charge and said some contractors were "out of control."
Multimedia Smackdown: Television and radio could get duller if the New Mexico Legislature passes House Bill 895, which would let government entities buy broadcast time for legal notices, instead of buying space in newspapers as the law now requires. House Speaker Ben Luján, D-Santa Fe, sponsored the bill, even though he hasn't taken a donation from the New Mexico Broadcasters Association since 2000. The Legislative Finance Committee found several areas of concern with the proposal, including that it contains no limits on advertising rates—as the law requires with printed notices—and no requirements for the timing of an announcement. "Hypothetically, broadcasters could choose to read these announcements when most viewers are not watching television or listening to the radio," the LFC writes. What about those who've given up on broadcasting in favor of podcasts and hulu.com? The New Mexico Press Association, which opposes the bill (natch), publishes a full list of notices at publicnoticeads.com/nm.