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By Jim Scarantino | New Mexico Watchdog
SANTA FE — New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and her predecessor, Bill Richardson, have spent all but a few dollars and change of $58 million in discretionary 2009 stimulus funds.
A review of their spending reveals lack of controls on the application of these funds. Both allocated funds to projects outside the intent of the provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that gave these discretionary funds to the states. But the questionable allocations by Martinez pale in comparison to the millions of dollars in grants made by Richardson during his term that fall.
Highlights of Richardson’s largesse include:
- $4 million to purchase real estate adjacent to the College of Santa Fe;
- $1.75 million to develop an old ranch into a film training institute, which so far has failed to materialize;
- $200,000 gift to the private corporation that runs the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market.
Read the complete story at New Mexico Watchdog.
