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The Taos News from Taos, New Mexico • Page 1

Publication:
The Taos Newsi
Location:
Taos, New Mexico
Issue Date:
Page:
1
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

004566 SOUTHWEST MICRO PUBLISH 2627 EAST YANDELL El Paso TX 79903 The Taos News Taos, New Mexico-Thursday, Aug. 2,1990, Vol. XLI No. 51, Three Sections, 44 pages County budget rejected again By Dick Behnke Staff Writer Taos County now has an of-, ficial budget, but one commissioner voted against it and state officials say it doesn't meet their standards and it will not be approved. On Friday (July 27), the county commission voted 2-1, with Lawrence Gallegos voting no, to approve the 1990-91 county budget.

The $6.8 million budget would leave $711,000 in county coffers at year's end, not enough by the standards of state accountants. The state Department of Finance Administration (DFA) recommends that counties maintain cash balances equal to five-twelfths of their annual budgets. The proposed cash balance in the current Taos County budget is equal to about one- twelfth of the total budget, lower even than the two- twelfths carried last year. The cash balance was one of the reasons Gallegos voted against the budget, he said. "I don't agree with the cash balance," Gallegos said.

"Instead of getting, closer we're getting farther away." Pat Romero of the state's local government division said "we couldn't approve" the budget he received Monday (July 30). -quiek to pdihi out that one of the problems involved revenue bonds approved by the county two weeks ago which were not included in the budget. The revenue bonds will reduce the amount of payments the county must make on various lease-purchases and thus raise the amount available in the cash balance. The revenue bonds will also be used to pay part of the county's outstanding $447,000 debt to the state's worker's compensation program. If it weren't for the worker's compensation bill, the county would be better off this year than in any of the previous six years, said Carmen Medina, finance officer.

But Gallegos said the county needs to cut its staff. "There are a lot of people employed and that drops the cash balance." Romero said he was trying to contact Medina to see where the revenue bonds stood and why they were not included in the submitted budget. Medina said late Tuesday (July 31) that the bonds were not included because they will not be issued until September. "Until the eight weeks are up, it's not a sure thing," Medina said. Medina said that Romero told him if the bonds were added to the budget, it would J'" Road mediators face 'wide gulf A negotiated settlement to the El Salto Road dispute may be a long way off and attorneys only have until Sept.

17 to file an appeal against a U.S. district judge's ruling that several Taos County roads can be closed by Taos Pueblo. Taos Pueblo officials told U.S. Rep. Bill Richardson Sunday (July 29) that there was a "wide gulf between them and other parties involved in the El Salto Road dispute.

"I am surprised at the characterization of 'wide said attorney Fred Waltz. Waltz represents the El Salto Water Users Association. Pueblo leaders told Richardson in a letter that the roads will not be sold to Taos County under any condition. Pueblo leaders met two weeks ago with county officials, Waltz and representatives of New Mexico's congressional delegation. The county and the -water users association had both been parties in a legal dispute with the Pueblo over the roads.

The dispute concerns El Salto and six other roads in Taos. In June, U.S. District judge John Gonway in Denver ruled the roads belong in part to the Pueblo, The Pueblo, the judge ruled, owns pieces of land that either cross or run along the length of the seven roads. The El Salto Road is by far the most populated road as about 200 families would be affected if the road were closed. Following the July 17 negotiating meeting, officials declined comment on the negotiations except to say the next meeting was set for Sept.

20. An appeal must be filed within 60 days of the district court decision, by Sept. 17. Waltz said he would appeal the judge's decision if there was no settlement before the deadline. A source, who attended the closed-door negotiations, said one reason the next meeting was set for Sept.

20 was that the Pueblo was having a reappraisal of the land done, which would not be completed before Sept. 20. District Attorney Sammy Pacheco, who represents the county, said it might be possible to ask for an extension, keeping the possibility of appeal open until after Sept. 20, The Pueblo, in its letter to Richardson said, "The hostile attitude of residents in that area (El Salto) in recent weeks may hurt the constructive dialogue that was established between the parties." vivan! The silhouetted figures of Alex Cruz (left), and J.B. Martinez Jr.

are framed by the sunset as they begin the procession to Taos Plaza for the Fiestas de Santiago Santa Ana coronation Tommy Trujlllo ceremony Friday (July 27). Thousands visited Taos for the annual fiestas. Organizers called the event "a great success." For more photos, story see page A-8. Jailers face burgeoning population Taos jailers must frequently transfer prisoners outside the county and local judges are rushing arraignments because the Taos- County Jail is chronically overcrowded. The jail, under a court order to maintain a prisoner level of not more than 24, was at 22 inmates as of Tuesday morning (July 31).

But the county has five more inmates in its charge who are now in Santa Fe County jail which is also near its full capacity. "We have sent them (inmates) to Raton, Santa Fe and Red River," said jail administrator Ambrose Mascarefias. In early July, inmates Robert Trujillo and Ben Harrison got into a fight. Mas- carefias said the fight may have occurred because Harrison was using the toilet in the cell next to Trujillo, keeping him awake at night. The disturbance boiled over the next day in the day room when Trujillo and Harrison went after one another.

Trujillo was bitten severely enough to require hospitalization and later complained in a collect call to The Taos News saying he was mistreated at the jail. Trujillo is serving a six-month sentence on a petty larceny charge. Harrison had been sent back to Taos after a stay at the Las Vegas Mental Hospital. Men in the Taos jail serving extended sentences is one of the overcrowding problems, Mascarefias said. At least one man, accused murderer George Lopez, has been there over a year.

"Many of the men are doing 60, 90 days, even six months," Mascarefias said. "It is those doing extended time that are a part of the problem." "I think it (overcrowding) tends to create problems," Mascarefias said. "Some of the men want to be by themselves." The crowded situation has also put pressure on local judges, said Betty Gonzales, magistrate judge. "We need to arraign them as fast as possible to see if we can get them out," Gonzales said. While Gonzales said the crowded conditions do not affect the sentences she gives, it does put pressure on her office to arraign people as quickly as possible so that bail may be set and the person can be released on bond.

"They (jail conditions) have jammed us up quite a bit," she said. In addition, the now-mandatory six- month jail sentence for a fourth-time drunk driver adds to the crowding. And the Legislature is looking at making even stiffer sentences for drunk drivers. Overcrowding is not just a problem in Taos, Mascarefias said. Tierra Amarilla, Rio Arriba's county seat, also has crowding problems, as does Santa Fe.

Monday (July 30) Ramiro Rodriguez, jail supervisor in Santa Fe, called Taos to ask them to take their prisoners back. "That door is closed to us," Mascarefias said of using the Santa Fe jail. 'They have a capacity of 250 and they have 237 in there today (Tuesday)." There may be a solution to the jail problem, but it is probably at least two years down the road. The county commission is considering a bond issue to build a new law enforcement building, which would house a new, larger jail. While there are no figures yet available, the bond issue would increase property taxes, county bond consultants have said.

Meanwhile, the county is faced with trying to handle at least three to four new prisoners a day. "We need something real bad," Mas- carefias said. "If something doesn't happen, we'll be in real trouble." Pueblo draws new, hard line Leaders outline tough stance for congressman In a letter given to Congressman Bill Richardson at his town meeting Sunday (July 29) at Taos Pueblo, Pueblo governor Mike Concha and War Chief Bennie L. Martinez wrote that "the days when our Pueblo conceded, time after time, our lands and other resources in the name of being good neighbors, is over." The Pueblo officials stated that the list of tribe concerns is exhaustive, but did comment on the following: The El Salto Trespass Case: Concha and Martinez state that a wide gulf exists between the parties (in the dispute). The Pueblo takes the position that its land is not for sale, but that a long term lease is possible providing certain conditions are met.

"The hostile attitude of resi- dents in that area in recent weeks may hurt the constructive dialogue that was established between the parties." Airport Expansion: The letter states the Pueblo's main concern is the "rampant development taking place in the Taos area," putting a terrific strain on the limited water and land available. The Pueblo contends that the airport should not be crammed down the throats of people who live in the area. Water Tribal officials state that the Pueblo has been experiencing encroachment by non-Indians who attempt to take more water and seemingly refuse to recognize the authority of the Pueblo to govern these encroachments." "We will negotiate responsibly," the letter concluded. Inside Anuncios A-ll Art C-5 Back to School Section Business A-5 Calendar C-10-11 Classified A-13 El Crepusculo A-12 Favor Contra A-4 Horoscope C-14 Legal notices A-15 Letters A-4 Obituaries A-19 People A-8 Real estate A-14 Sports A-6 Television C-ll Copyright 1990 El Crepusculo, Inc..

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