Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • A5

METRO NM ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2021 PAGE A5 Lawmakers debate changes in tax code 2021 Albuquerque Journal BY DAN MCKAY JOURNAL CAPITOL BUREAU SANTA FE An influential panel of legislators kicked around ideas for reshaping New tax code Thursday with the aim of improving the business envi- ronment while also stabilizing government revenue. The ideas ranged from reimpos- ing a tax on food, paying monthly tax credits to low-income families, raising property and gas taxes, and reducing the gross receipts tax. Lawmakers also heard from national tax experts who offered mixed testimony on whether a 2003 change to the tax code reducing the top income tax bracket, enact- ed under then-Gov. Bill Richard- son had the desired impact of promoting economic growth. Randall Bauer of the Philadel- phia-based PFM Group Consult- ing said the 2003 tax cut reduced tax revenue significantly, but little evidence it changed economic outcomes.

see a corresponding increase in economic Bauer said. would suggest that necessarily a good move on your By contrast, Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects at the Tax Foundation, said he draw firm conclusions on the impact of the tax cut because of the complexity of the economy and dif- ficulty assigning credit or blame for any particular policy change. Colorado, he said, cut taxes and saw economic growth. Parts of New tax code, Walczak said, make it hard on businesses, such as the high gross receipts tax rate that increases the cost for a small business that wants to hire, say, an attorney to handle some legal work. you have a tax structure that can make it very difficult to invest or expand investment in New Wal- czak said.

Overhauling the tax system is a perennial topic at the Legislature. Diversifying the economy and reducing New reliance on oil and gas taxes a volatile revenue source have been long- time priorities of Democrats and Republicans alike. Members of the Legislative Finance Committee dedicated about three hours Thursday morning to presentations and discussion on tax policy. No con- sensus emerged. Sen.

George a Gallup Democrat and vice chairman of the LFC, suggested raising New relatively low property taxes could provide revenue to off- set reduced gross receipts taxes. House Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, said he hoped future tax changes could help entrepre- neurs and startup companies. Rep. Phelps Anderson, an inde- pendent from Roswell, said the flood of federal stimulus money makes the timing right for revis- ing the tax code. state is awash in Anderson said.

is the time to do sensible of tax changes. Goals to improve business, up revenue Owner of realty company arrested Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal BY MATTHEW REISEN JOURNAL STAFF WRITER The owner of a local realty com- pany is accused of pointing a gun at a chest Wednesday when he came into the office demanding his air conditioner be fixed after being broken for weeks. Karie Taylor, 39, is behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Cen- ter and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Elevated Man- agement Group, he ompa ny owned by Taylor, did not respond to a request for comment. According to a criminal com- plaint filed in Metropolitan Court: Albuquerque police responded around noon to the realty com- office, near Rio Grande and Central, after a tenant reported being threatened with a gun by the owner.

The man told police his air con- ditioner had been broken for two weeks and he felt Elevated Manage- ment Group was not with him to resolve the He said on Monday a company came to repair the air conditioner but found the motor was broken and told the tenant they would refer to the realty office to fix it. The man told police he went to the Elevated Management Group office to about getting He said the owner, Taylor, greeted him and, when he began asking questions, she asked if he had an appointment. The man told police he said he Accused of threatening tenant with cocked gun over broken air conditioner Karie Taylor Positive tests 208,243 Negative tests 3,552,974 Total doses received 2,414,353 of New Mexicans with vaccination series completed SOURCE: NMDOH LATEST COVID-19 NUMBERS New infections 273 Total doses administered 2,243,351 Total number of deaths 4,394 Doses given in past 7 days 14,915 Cases in hospital 98 Number of new deaths 2 Number fully 1,105,100 Weatherman Morgan brought an artistic flair to forecasting Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal BY RICK NATHANSON JOURNAL STAFF WRITER Former KOAT-TV weath- erman Howard Morgan was known for the artistic flair he gave to his forecasting. In the days preceding green screens and comput- er graphics, dress up his maps and charts on-air with spontaneously drawn doodles, including his character that he regu- larly integrated into those drawings. But Morgan was no ama- teur scribbler with a pen or brush; he was a bona fide art- ist whose paintings were fea- tured in art shows and gal- leries, and whose landscapes hang in countless homes.

He was also known for his unflappable personality, radiant smile and his love of gardening, showcased in his segments on KOAT and in his three Gar- denlore books. Morgan died early Thurs- day in a local hospital after a brief illness. He was 91. Howard Winfield Morgan Jr. was born in Baumstown, Pennsylvania.

He joined the Navy right out of high school and after his military service he took a job at KHOL-TV in Nebraska as a graphic artist but transitioned to a weather forecaster. He created his Thermo character on his second day as a forecaster. It was in Nebraska that he met his wife, Phyllis. They had been married 49 years when she died in 2000. After Nebraska, Morgan worked as a weatherman at stations in Kansas and Utah before coming to Albuquer- que in 1971.

Thermo came along for the ride. Many people also remember his TV persona that he used when he hosted a show in the four television markets in which he worked. Morgan retired in 1999, after a 46-year career. Cur- rent chief meteorologist Joe Diaz worked with Morgan for more than a decade. was just a class act and a tremendously tal- ented Diaz said.

had a passion for life, was a caring and loving fam- ily man, and had a great love for New Diaz noted that often said that is all about and Mor- gan every nook and cranny in New That not only aided him in his weather forecasting, but provided him with subject matter for his landscape paintings. One of those paintings hangs in the entryway of home. Other Morgan landscapes graced the yearly Greetings cards that were sent out by the station, he said. Another landscape paint- ing hangs above the sofa in former KOAT anchor Jane New Jersey home. She worked with Morgan from 1982 to 1989.

was always so calm, kind, cool and pleasant to she said. knew how I struggled with my notorious on-air hairdos and once helpfully suggest- ed I wear a wig. I still laugh about that. And I still use his gardening Former KOAT reporter, anchor and eventually president and general man- ager, Mary Lynn Roper, recalled sitting on the news set flanked by co-anchor Johnny Morris and Howard Morgan, both of whom she called both went out of their way to be welcoming, kind, and calming because they were both such easy- going guys, and I was any- thing but she said. really tempered my anxiety, got me to calm down and just focus on the job at COURTESY OF KOAT-TV It until late in Howard career that Doppler radar became available to weather forecasters.

See TV ICON A6 Popular KOAT-TV icon, also a landscape painter, dies at 91 Wide-ranging help meant for education NM to get another $327 million in recovery aid ASSOCIATED PRESS SANTA FE Federal edu- cation officials have approved New spending plan for recovery aid, clearing the way for another $327 million to be distributed to the state. The money is intended to help the state Public Educa- tion Department sustain safe operation of schools and boost learning opportunities, par- ticularly for students who have been most affected by the pandemic. funds will allow our schools to address learning loss and help our students and educators through the social and emotional toll of the pan- said U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, a New Mexico Democrat.

New Mexico already had received more than $650 million in emergency education fund- ing. among 14 other states to have their plans approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Some of the money will go toward grants for districts and other organizations to run sum- mer programs focused on sci- ence and math. It will also pay for student internships to help reengage at-risk youth.

As much as $22 million will support accelerated learning through the creation of new tutoring programs and profes- sional development for educa- tors and administrators. See REALTY A6 COURTESY OF KOAT-TV Early in his career, weatherman Howard Morgan incorpo- rated drawings into his charts and maps, including his ever- present character, Thermo..