- In total, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and nine legislators funded eight projects for NMSU athletics, including one legislator outside of Doña Ana County. Grisham vetoed two approved requests.
- The LCS's lists does not include legislators who chose not to fund requests which received no funding.
A list containing the names of New Mexico legislators who funded capital outlay projects was released this week by the New Mexico Legislative Council Service. The list includes capital outlay requests from New Mexico State, including ones for athletics.
The LCS is the nonpartisan "drafting and legal research agency" of the New Mexico Legislature. Its main task is to "draft legislation for executive, judicial and other state entities" and is the primary contact point for members of the public seeking information from the Legislature.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reported on April 14 that NMSU received $3.32 million of the $37.9 million it requested for athletics-specific projects. Larger requests were made to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, while others were made to individual legislators in the New Mexico Senate and House of Representatives.
Legislators mostly deal with requests within or near their district or county, although a legislator can fund requests for projects in other places if they choose to. There are five senators and nine House members who represent Doña Ana County, where Las Cruces is located, in the Legislature.
According to LCS Capital Outlay Programs Coordinator Michelle Jaschke, each House member received $2.5 million to fund capital outlay requests and each senator was given $4.17 million to fund requests. Grisham received $195 million to fund projects, which explains why she receives larger requests.
The following legislators funded NMSU's approved capital outlay requests for athletics. Grisham approved or vetoed multiple athletics-specific requests from NMSU and has her own section of this story.
- Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces) of the Senate's 31st district
- Sen. Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte) of the Senate's 35th district
- Sen. William Soules (D-Las Cruces) of the Senate's 37th district
- Sen. Carrie Hamblen (D-Las Cruces) of the Senate's 38th district
- Rep. Brian G. Baca (R-Los Lunas) of the House's 8th district (located outside of Doña Ana County)
- Rep. Jenifer Jones (R-Deming) of the House's 32nd district
- Rep. Raymundo Lara (D-Chamberino) of the House's 34th district
- Rep. Joanne J. Ferrary (D-Las Cruces) of the House's 37th district
- Rep. Doreen Gallegos (D-Las Cruces), of the House's 52nd district
Requests funded or vetoed by Grisham
- $2 million to replace baseball and softball turf fields at Presley Askew Field and the NM State Softball Complex was approved by Grisham. The initial request was higher at $4 million.
- $200,000 of the $450,000 to "plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish, equip and upgrade" NMSU's softball and women's soccer facilities, including the press box and bleachers, was approved by Grisham. The initial request was higher at $2.5 million. The other $250,000 was approved by various legislators.
- A $50,000 allocation to renovate the parking lot at Aggie Memorial Stadium was approved by Ferrary but was vetoed by Grisham. The initial request was higher at $900,000.
- A $50,000 allocation to construct a practice facility for NMSU's golf teams was approved by Ferrary but vetoed by Grisham. The initial request was higher at $10 million.
Jaschke told the Sun-News that Grisham is the only one with the power to veto approved funding requests or projects. She can also dismiss or disapprove of requests entirely.
Requests funded by legislators
- The other $250,000 allocated as part of the $450,000 approved request to upgrade NMSU's softball and women's soccer facilities was funded by Soules, Jones and Hamblen. Soules and Jones each allocated $100,000 and Hamblen allocated $50,000.
- $250,000 of a $300,000 approved request to "plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish and equip" NMSU's volleyball facilities was funded by Gallegos, with the other $50,000 funded by Brantley. The initial request was lower at $250,000.
- $225,000 to "plan, design, construct, furnish, equip and upgrade" the Coca-Cola Weight Training Center was funded by Lara and Baca. The initial request was higher at $400,000. Lara allocated $125,000 and Baca allocated $100,000.
- $100,000 of a $150,000 approved request to "plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish and equip" NMSU's women's athletics facilities was funded by Gallegos. The other $50,000 was funded by Ferrary. The initial request was lower at $100,000.
- $100,000 of a $145,000 approved request to "plan, design, construct, furnish, equip and upgrade" NMSU's women's soccer facilities was funded by Cervantes. The other $45,000 was funded by Hamblen. The initial request was higher at $300,000.
- $50,000 to "plan, design, construct, furnish, equip and upgrade" NMSU's baseball facilities was funded by Brantley. The initial request was higher at $300,000.
Requests which did not receive funding
NMSU had several athletics-specific requests that received no funding from the Legislature or Grisham. Since the LCS's list doesn't include unfunded projects, it's unclear which legislators chose not to fund these specific requests.
NMSU deputy athletic director and chief operating officer Braun Cartwright previously told the Sun-News that the university's athletics department made its largest requests, such as its $15 million request to renovate the press box at Aggie Memorial Stadium and its $2 million request to renovate NMSU's football facilities, to Grisham.
Here are NMSU's other athletics-specific requests which received no funding:
- $750,000 to renovate and upgrade NMSU's athletics recovery room facilities.
- $400,000 to renovate NMSU's track and field facility.
- $250,000 each to renovate NMSU's men's and women's basketball facilities.
- $250,000 to renovate NMSU's tennis offices.
- $250,000 to renovate and upgrade the swimming and diving platform at the NM State Swimming and Diving Complex.
