Flash
11-07-2009, 07:45 PM
The economy, education and ethics were among the primary issues Doug Turner spoke about as he formally announced his entrance into the gubernatorial race earlier today in Las Cruces.
Speaking about what is probably the hottest issue in New Mexico days after lawmakers met to address a massive budget shortfall, Turner said the state’s economy is “in a really bad state” and pointed to the possibility of a budget shortfall of $1 billion when lawmakers meet again in January.
Turner said state government is bloated, with more employees than ever before.
“I think we ought to get rid of a lot of those folks, whether it be by attrition or other means,” he said.
Turner said he loves New Mexico, but, as a small businessman, he knows it’s tough to run a business here. Tying the business climate and ethics together, he said he was called by a “friend in Santa Fe” a few weeks ago and informed that “the governor had put out a call that I was blacklisted, that my firm was blacklisted — no more state contracts.”
Turner said that is no big deal for his public relations firm, DW Turner, because it has only one state contract, but it’s indicative of “the climate we’re dealing with.”
The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for a response.
Turner took another pointed shot at Gov. Bill Richardson when he said that ethics is a function of leadership.
“How do we have an honest government in New Mexico when we’ve been on the front page of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, (for) pay to play?” he asked. “… Generally, I believe that an honest leader will appoint honest people. I believe I am that leader.”
Turner also talked about education, telling the 10 or so people who trekked to the Doņa Ana County Republican Party Headquarters to meet him before 8 a.m. that he worked with former Gov. Gary Johnson to promote vouchers and currently sits on the board of the New Mexico Charter Schools Association. He said he supports vouchers and also believes charter school funding should be equal to the funding for other public schools.
Turner said the state should offer more help for homeschooling, perhaps by providing textbooks or making public school extracurricular activities available to children who are homeschooled.
Turner also talked about education, telling the 10 or so people who trekked to the Doņa Ana County Republican Party Headquarters to meet him before 8 a.m. that he worked with former Gov. Gary Johnson to promote vouchers and currently sits on the board of the New Mexico Charter Schools Association.
http://newmexicoindependent.com/40575/republican-doug-turner-wants-to-be-the-next-governor-of-new-mexico
Speaking about what is probably the hottest issue in New Mexico days after lawmakers met to address a massive budget shortfall, Turner said the state’s economy is “in a really bad state” and pointed to the possibility of a budget shortfall of $1 billion when lawmakers meet again in January.
Turner said state government is bloated, with more employees than ever before.
“I think we ought to get rid of a lot of those folks, whether it be by attrition or other means,” he said.
Turner said he loves New Mexico, but, as a small businessman, he knows it’s tough to run a business here. Tying the business climate and ethics together, he said he was called by a “friend in Santa Fe” a few weeks ago and informed that “the governor had put out a call that I was blacklisted, that my firm was blacklisted — no more state contracts.”
Turner said that is no big deal for his public relations firm, DW Turner, because it has only one state contract, but it’s indicative of “the climate we’re dealing with.”
The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for a response.
Turner took another pointed shot at Gov. Bill Richardson when he said that ethics is a function of leadership.
“How do we have an honest government in New Mexico when we’ve been on the front page of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, (for) pay to play?” he asked. “… Generally, I believe that an honest leader will appoint honest people. I believe I am that leader.”
Turner also talked about education, telling the 10 or so people who trekked to the Doņa Ana County Republican Party Headquarters to meet him before 8 a.m. that he worked with former Gov. Gary Johnson to promote vouchers and currently sits on the board of the New Mexico Charter Schools Association. He said he supports vouchers and also believes charter school funding should be equal to the funding for other public schools.
Turner said the state should offer more help for homeschooling, perhaps by providing textbooks or making public school extracurricular activities available to children who are homeschooled.
Turner also talked about education, telling the 10 or so people who trekked to the Doņa Ana County Republican Party Headquarters to meet him before 8 a.m. that he worked with former Gov. Gary Johnson to promote vouchers and currently sits on the board of the New Mexico Charter Schools Association.
http://newmexicoindependent.com/40575/republican-doug-turner-wants-to-be-the-next-governor-of-new-mexico