The Latest: Dems dismiss New Mexico government shutdown talk

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Latest on the end of the New Mexico Legislature (all times local): 2:15 p.m. New Mexico Democratic state senators are dismissing predictions by Gov. Susana Martinez that the state is facing a possible government shutdown next month. Sen. John Arthur Smith said Saturday the Republican governor has plenty of money to "limp along" until this summer and urged her to sign the Legislature's budget sent to her this week. The Deming Democrat and chair of the Senate Finance Committee says he previously had warned the governor and other lawmakers the state faced a looming budget crisis with declining oil revenues. Martinez says she will call lawmakers back to the state capital to renegotiate a budget for the coming fiscal year because she objects to proposed increases in taxes and spending. Her office says if lawmakers don't agree to her terms for more spending cuts, state museums will begin to close. 2 p.m. New Mexico Democratic state lawmakers say Gov. Susana Martinez doesn't need to call a special Legislative session because she already has a strong budget to sign. New Mexico House Speaker Brian Egolf said Saturday lawmakers gave the Republican governor a budget that raises revenues amid a steady downturn of traditional sources of revenue. Sen. John Arthur Smith, a Deming Democrat, says Martinez "has the tools she needs" to balance the budget and stabilize the state's bond rating. But Gov. Susana Martinez signaled she has no intention of signing tax increases and says she will call a special legislative session to solve the budget stalemate. She chided the Democrat-led Legislature for wasting time by approving tax increases and a minimum wage increase that she does not support. The second-term Republican governor declined to say exactly when she might schedule the special session. ___ 1:30 p.m. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez says she will call lawmakers back to the state capital to renegotiate a budget for the coming fiscal year because she objects to proposed increases in taxes and spending. Martinez said Saturday at the conclusion of a 60-day legislative session that she will closely review a $6.1 billion spending bill from lawmakers and a companion legislation that would raises $350 million in new revenues before calling a special session of the Legislature. She chided the Democrat-led Legislature for wasting time by approving tax increases and a minimum wage increase that she does not support. The second-term Republican governor declined to say exactly when she might schedule the special session and warned the state was running low on cash reserves. She has until April 7 to act on legislation or see it automatically vetoed. ___ 1:00 p.m. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez says she won't approve minimum wage increases approved by the state Legislature because they hurt the state's business climate. As the legislative session ended Saturday, Martinez said that she might support an increase to a rate lower than $9 an hour. The Legislature approved two options for increasing the state's $7.50 minimum wage for the first time since 2009. They would have increased base wages to $9 or $9.25. One bill included a temporary $8 training wage. ___ Noon The New Mexico Legislature has adjourned amid uncertainty over the state's budget and a threat by Gov. Susana Martinez to immediately call a special Legislative session. The regular session ended Saturday as New Mexico senators joked about eyebrows and Bigfoot while ignoring the governor's request to send another budget. A political showdown over proposed new taxes loomed as New Mexico lawmakers finished of a 60-day legislative session. Martinez is vowing to veto key portions of the Legislature's $350 million bill to raise new money amid a steady downturn of traditional sources of revenue linked to energy prices, a struggling local economy and outward migration from the state. Budget vetoes could bring lawmakers back to the capital at the governor's orders to rewrite a $6.1 billion spending plan __ or for an attempt to override her vetoes. ___ 3:30 a.m. A political showdown over proposed new taxes loomed as New Mexico lawmakers sprinted toward the finish of a 60-day legislative session with an agreement in hand to hold spending at most state agency steady and slightly boost education after two bruising rounds of cuts to public schools. As the session concludes Saturday, Republican Gov. Susana Martinez is vowing to veto key portions of the Legislature's $350 million bill to raise new money amid a steady downturn of traditional sources of revenue linked to energy prices, a struggling local economy and outward migration from the state. Budget vetoes could bring lawmakers back to the capital at the governor's orders to rewrite a $6.1 billion spending plan — or for an attempt to override her vetoes.