Cote pushes for Land Office reform
Las Cruces Sun-News report
Posted: 01/27/2010
SANTA FE - Rep. Nathan Cote, D-Las Cruces, has introduced House Bill 141 in an effort to create more transparency
within the State Land Office. The bill would require the commissioner of public lands to develop, operate and maintain a public Web site that contains financial leases, sales or agreements relating to state lands. The bill sets a deadline of July 1 of next year to have the Web site up and available for public access.
"This legislation will provide more of an opportunity for the public to be well-informed on the current business matters of the State Land Office, which has been under recent public scrutiny for being less than transparent," Cote said. "The public is more aware of the need for transparency in our government offices and among its officials. This is especially true in dealing with enormous amounts of state resources. It's our responsibility to require state offices to provide important financial information to New Mexico's taxpayers and be accountable to the public trust."
Under the proposed legislation, the Web site would provide the following information:
• the annual operating budget with a list of monthly expenditures,
• the commissioner's contracts for the purchase of personal property or services totaling over $20,000,
• revenue received each month and from what source,
• a list State Land Office employees who are exempt from the Personnel Act,
• each upcoming monthly oil and gas lease and the results,
• all other leases besides oil and gas,
• copies of each lease or other agreement for the commercial use of state land, and
• copies of each land swap.
