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Governor, Senate Dems talk deal on capital projects (SF New Mex)

Governor, Senate Dems talk deal on capital projects

Posted: Wednesday, April 29, 2015 12:00 am | Updated: 9:18 am, Wed Apr 29, 2015.

Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and the Senate Democrats she assailed five weeks ago are now in negotiations about a political deal to salvage $264 million in capital construction projects across the state.

Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, and Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, met Tuesday afternoon in Santa Fe with Martinez and a member of her staff, a first step in thawing relations and perhaps opening the way for a special legislative session to rescue the construction bill.

Smith said there is no guarantee that the talks will produce an agreement.

“It’s not a done deal, but we’re not throwing up our hands and saying it can’t be done, either,” he said in an interview. “We still have differences and, while it would be advantageous for the Legislature to pass and the governor to sign a capital outlay bill, those differences might be insurmountable. But we will try.”

Read more here: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/governor-senate-democrats-talk-deal-on-capital-projects/article_b8bf3dac-d17a-54cd-8bbb-4c58118149f7.html