Partly in response to a series of school shooting incidents across the country, members of the New Mexico State Legislature earlier this year approved capital outlay funding for a wide variety of school security upgrades.
Now, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has issued a statement vetoing just over 140 of those projects, while giving her approval to another 119.
Security upgrade projects approved in Albuquerque include $75,000 for the Mission and Achievement Success Charter School; $130,000 for the Apache Elementary School; $150,000 for the Arroyo Del Oso Elementary School; and $130,000 for the Collet Park Elementary School.
Additional funded Albuquerque projects will see $200,000 for the Grand Middle School; $150,000 for the Humbert H. Humphrey Elementary School; and $208,000 for the Whittier Elementary School.
The Governor also approved $441,000 in capital outlay funds for facility security upgrades across the Rio Rancho Public School district; as well as $280,000 for facilities in the Santa Fe Public Schools system.
Altogether, the Governor approved $24 million for a variety of school facility projects across the state.
Lujan Grisham said she vetoed around $100 million in general fund projects, noting that such projects lacked “proper planning or are not ready to proceed.”
By Garry Boulard
