New Mexico Politics - New Mexico - onPolitix

Atty: Aragon may be paying too much

2013-05-23T13:02:37Z

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) — A former powerful state senator who helped steal millions from taxpayers and is serving time in a federal prison says he may be getting cheated.

In 2009, Manny Aragon was sentenced to five years seven months in prison for helping inflate invoices for the construction of Albuquerque's Metropolitan Courthouse. Investigators believe Aragon personally pocketed $650,000 from a scheme which cost state taxpayers around $4.3 million.

As part of that sentence, Aragon was ordered to pay back a hefty court fine and $650,000 in restitution to the state.

On top of that, Aragon and his co-defendants were ordered to pay the state $541,000 in additional restitution, to be split amongst them.

Earlier this month Aragon's attorney Ray Twohig filed a motion in the case asking for an accounting of who had paid toward that additional restitution and how much.

In the motion, Twohig writes that Aragon may be paying more than his fair share based on numbers his office had received previously.

"It was evident at that time that the Government had done very little to attempt to collect from those co-defendants while Mr. Aragon continued to make monthly the payments ordered by the Court while incarcerated," Twohig writes in the motion. "The effect has been to burden Defendant Aragon most heavily."

Federal investigators say former court administrator Toby Martinez personally pocketed more than triple what Aragon did in the corruption scandal.

So far, the state treasurer's office says Aragon has paid about $404,000 in restitution while Martinez has paid approximately $388,000. All told, the state has received about $1.5 million in restitution from defendants in the case.

Both Twohig and the U.S. Attorney's Office declined comment on this story.

According to federal prison records, Aragon's release date is set for May 2, 2014.

Aggressive policing drains SFPD jail funding

2013-05-23T01:30:07Z

SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) — Police in Santa Fe say increased patrols and aggressive tactical plans are resulting in more arrests, and more time in jail for bad guys, but it's also coming with a hefty price tag.

Santa Fe police have to pay the jail $85 a day for every inmate they arrest. They need nearly $200,000 just to cover the costs until the end of June.

Police Chief Ray Rael said lately more criminals are being arrested and spending more time in jail.

"The longer they are out of service on the streets, the better off we as a community are," said Rael.

Rael said his officers have been aggressively targeting property and drug crimes. Both have been a major problem there in the past.

"You know, quite honestly it was an embarrassment," said Rael.

He said hard work has paid off, but it's come at a price. Police are asking city councilors to approve $185,000 in additional funding to cover the unexpected influx of inmates through the end of June at the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Center.

For the first time in Rael's memory, they didn't budget enough for this year.

"We budgeted based on traditional numbers, of course extrapolating that out for this year, and anticipated that we'd requested enough funding if things had stayed the same," Rael explained.

However, the numbers didn't stay the same. He attributes the change partially to a proactive approach.

"I have to attribute it to the detectives and the hard work of the officers out there, and I think as you can see the numbers are paying off," he said.

In fact, statistics show burglary crimes are down from 167 in April 2012 to 88 this April.

Aside from targeting property crime offenders, detectives are also mapping hot spots for crimes daily and putting more patrols in those areas.

They even graph times of day for high crime. Plus, police said, they're staying on top of pages of criminal court dates.

"It seems as though our efforts are paying off," said Rael. "Some of these perpetrators are spending more time in jail."

Although it's tax dollars that pay for inmate jail time, police argue it's money well spent.

The city finance committee did approve the extra funds for police. Next the funding goes to the Santa Fe City Council for a vote on May 29. The money would come from Santa Fe's gross receipts tax.

Police said if the funds are not approved, they'll seek the funds elsewhere in the budget. Either way, it means they'll have less for next year to pay for gear such as patrol cars and equipment.

Neighbor opposes plan to house veterans

2013-05-23T01:02:30Z

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) — A local man is trying to open up a shelter for veterans who, like him, need help getting back on their feet as they figure out life after the military.

But not everyone is on board with the idea.

In fact, one man is asking the city of Rio Rancho to deny the proposal. He says even though he loves and respects veterans, he does not think his neighborhood is the place for a veterans shelter.

Rio Rancho city councilors are scheduled to consider the issue at their meeting Wednesday night.

“Everything in here has been donated,” Shane D’Onofrio said as he showed KRQE News 13 the building he hopes to officially open up as a shelter.

The space already exists. It is a huge building that sits behind D’Onofrio’s home in an upscale, rural Rio Rancho neighborhood.

As a veteran himself, D'Onofrio founded What Would U Give, a group supporting local veterans reintegrating into society.

“Get them back on their feet. Get them all the education, all the tools they need to be productive citizens of the United States of America,” he said.

But it has not been easy.

A letter from neighbors Matthew and Kathryn Hein explains why they are against D'Onofrio's plan.

"It fails to address significant issues like the impact on property values and other consequential impacts to the area such as traffic safety," they wrote.

They also wrote that it will change the character of the neighborhood and that they know of at least one neighbor who's sold their property because of it.

D’Onofrio doesn't buy it.

“You don't even know it's here,” he said. “When you drive up to it, most of the people drive right by us. Don't even know it's here, and it's a huge building.”

D’Onofrio also said there wouldn't be more than 10 people living here at a time, and they will all have to go through an application process that includes an extensive background check.

“We do that to make sure of the safety. I mean... I live right there,” he said as he pointed to his house right in front of the WWUG building.

The Rio Rancho Planning and Zoning Board approved D'Onofrio's proposal to change the property from a residential estate to a special-use property.

He is hoping city councilors will do the same Wednesday night at their meeting at 6:30 p.m.

KRQE tried to reach the neighbor who wrote the letter against the veterans shelter. He has not returned our call, and we are told he is out of town.

Albuquerque government hiring again

2013-05-21T19:38:03Z

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) — The city of Albuquerque will soon be hiring more people after city councilors passed a budget plan for the next fiscal year Monday night.

The budget will help hire an extra 40 people working everywhere from City Hall to the BioPark, animal shelters and elsewhere.

These jobs haven't been posted yet but could be as soon as Mayor Richard J. Berry signs the budget.

The city is also in the process of filling another 120 positions. Some of these are posted now on the city's website .

Council passes bill to overhaul POC

2013-05-21T16:24:01Z

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) — The Albuquerque city council passed a plan Monday night evaluating the Police Oversight Commission.

The POC looks at citizen complaints against Albuquerque police officers.

Some critics say it has no teeth, others say there is no oversight over the commission.

Monday’s bill sets up a seven-member task force to look into the process and make recommendations on how to fix it.

It also calls for three town hall meetings, so the public can give some input.

City wants "messy" bus stop fixed

2013-05-21T12:46:29Z

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) — Sitting on Bridge Boulevard just west of the river could be the worst bus stop in the metro area.

There's no bench, no shade but that's far from the biggest problem.

A metal pipe juts out over the sidewalk, sticking out from a scattered pile of building parts from the neighboring apartment complex. Take a wrong step near the sign and you risk sliding down a small paved hill into a pile of rubble.

"I have never seen a bus stop like this anywhere outside Mexico actually, real Mexico," said Becky Berman, who lives nearby.

Berman says she noticed the condition of the bus stop a little more than a month ago and called the city's 311 line several times looking for something to get fixed. But she says those calls didn't go anywhere.

So KRQE News 13 reached out to ABQ Ride.

"I don't think I've seen a messier bus stop," said ABQ Ride spokesperson Rick De Reyes.

De Reyes says, despite how it looks, it isn't keeping anyone from getting on or off the bus at the stop.

Also, the mess is on private property in the county, limiting what the city can do about it.

But De Reyes says it isn't what ABQ Ride wants a bus stop to look like and tells KRQE News 13 the city will be reaching out to the property owner to try and do something about the mess.

Attempts to reach the property owner by KRQE News 13 were unsuccessful Monday night.

ABQ taking steps to keep city pools clean

2013-05-20T18:38:28Z

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) — According to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control, more pools are showing signs of fecal contamination. Albuquerque aquatic officials say there's not too much to worry about in city pools.

"We have great automated chemical controllers, we have state of the art pool equipment, we just recently installed over six ultra violet light sanitation systems," says Brandon Gibson, Aquatics Division Manager with the City of Albuquerque.

When something like a fecal incident occurs where germs can spread especially fast, the city says they have teams which address the situation immediately.

"As part of that permitting, they have to be inspected regularly, they have to use certified operators meaning every single facility has to have an operator that has completed either a local certification or a national certification," says Hal Senke, Epidemiologist with the City of Albuquerque.

"Not only do we check the chemicals throughout the day, various times and maintain those standards," adds Gibson.

That means checking things like chlorine and Ph levels of the water which can counteract germs and their spreading.

"There's a public obligation as well and the public obligation is when you're using a facility that you have to realize that we're all dependent on each other to do the right things," Senke said.

That means staying away from the pool altogether for at least two weeks if you've had a recent bout with diarrhea. It's also recommended to shower before entering the pool. Swimmers should also wash their hands, especially if you've used the bathroom or handled a dirty diaper. Another recommendation is to rinse yourself before you jump in the water if you've been sunbathing.

"We have very very good controls here and as long as people are doing their part, we're doing our part and they can feel safe with our pools," says Senke.

Council takes up jobs, police oversight

2013-05-20T18:23:06Z

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) — The Police Oversight Commission and a city budget with expanded hiring are going to be big deals at Albuquerque's City Council meeting Monday night.

Councilors Trudy Jones and Brad Winters are set to introduce a plan to suspend the commission until it's better evaluated.

But other commissioners don't like that idea and want town hall meetings for people to voice their opinions on how the POC could be better and be held more accountable.

And councilors are also expected to focus on jobs.

They're supposed to approve the city's budget for the next fiscal year including hiring dozens of people.

The jobs have been vacant for the past few years when the city was short money.

The jobs include everything from positions at the zoo to city hall.

'Dear double' letter sparks outrage

2013-05-20T12:41:09Z

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) — A simple greeting at the top of a letter to retirees across the state, coupled with the message in it has some outraged. A state agency has sent out letters to retirees, who are now collecting a pension and working another job, calling them what some say is an offensive name linked to the controversial subject of double dipping.

Investigative reporter Larry Barker was first to point out there were some public employees who abused the system by faking retirement, collecting a pension, then returning to the same job the next day; double dippers.

However, some retirees who received the letter said they're not doing that.

A letter dated May 7th from the Public Employees Retirement Association addressed, 'Dear double,' has created an upset. One viewer sent KRQE News 13 a note stating, "its disturbing that she ( PERA Deputy Executive Director) would address me as "dear double." Double is not my name."

A retiree from New Mexico State Police felt the same way.

"I think that that offended a lot of people and I've heard a number of comments from people that have received a similar letter and they're all about the same," said Cofax County Manager, Don Day.

Day also receives a pension as a retired state police officer, but says by law, what he's doing is not abusing the system.

So, he questions why the name calling?

"Its typical of the bad management at PERA," Day said.

If it was a mistake, its happened more than once Day said he's one of several that's received the letter, and it doesn't end there.

The letter is notifying retired public employees that have been re-hired and are collecting both a pension and salary from a PERA-covered employer that their cost of living adjustment, or 'COLA,' will be suspended as of July 1, 2013.

"A two percent COLA isn't that big of deal, its only $800 and some for me for the first year," Day explained. "But it will be compounded for the rest of my life, and quite frankly the rest of my wife's life."

Day said this change could be a life-changer for his family.

"I feel that the state of New Mexico had a contractual obligation to retirees," Day said. "I was recruited by the State Police back in the 80s, part of that recruitment was the retirement."

Day said he chose to work 20 years with New Mexico State Police for the pension he's now been told will freeze.

A 2009 Larry Barker investigation highlighted several public employees who were abusing the system by retiring on paper, but never really leaving their jobs as they collected two checks.

However, many "double dippers" like Day say they're not abusing the system.

"When I retired, I went out and finished another education and went a completely different direction got the job as county manager which is what I'm doing now," said Day.

Day told KRQE News 13 the COLA suspension may force he and his family to re-locate to another state, since he relies on that income.

The letter states a re-employed retiree must terminate employment on or before June 30, 2013 in order to keep receiving their COLA. One man told KRQE News 13 he'll be requesting an apology from the PERA board for the "derogatory" wording in the letter.

KRQE called the PERA office, but they're closed on Sundays.

Plane crash kills former Aztec mayor

2013-05-18T21:28:08Z

SANTA FE (KRQE) — A plane crash at the Aztec Municipal Airport Saturday morning killed Michael "Mike" Arnold, the former mayor of the city and current manager of the airport.

New Mexico State Police report Arnold, 62, was alone in the single-engine aircraft when it crashed on takeoff about 11 a.m.

Police said Arnold's family lives on the airport property, witnessed the crash and called for help.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, a State Police spokesperson said.

The craft came down just feet from the runway and burned on impact leaving only metal framing and charred debris.

Arnold was mayor of Aztec, the county seat of San Juan County, from 1998-2001 and 2004-2008, according to the city's website.

"Mr. Arnold has put in numerous years of service and long hours while he was in his years of service for the people of Aztec," State Police Sgt. Micah Dearing told KRQE News 13. "It's also my understanding there were a number of people in this community who appreciated that service, so I imagine it will be devastating to quite a few people beyond the family, for sure."

Arnold was described as an experienced pilot. According to reports, there were significant wind gusts blowing across the runway during takeoff, which may have contributed to the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified and will handle the investigation into what caused the crash.