7/20/12 New Mexico in Focus Audio: Episode 603

Correspondent: Matt Grubs, New Mexico in Focus Producer

Guest: Hector Balderas, New Mexico State Auditor

Line Guest: Tom Garrity, Principal, The Garrity Group

Line Panelists:

Jamie Estrada, Former U.S. Commerce Department Official

Sophie Martin, Editor in Chief, New Mexico Law Review

Dan Foley, Former NM House Republican Whip

This week on New Mexico in Focus, the show digs deep into the discovery of a fraudulent audit at the New Mexico Finance Authority. The fake audit sent by the NMFA to Wall Street could end up costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more, in increased borrowing costs for public projects.

State Auditor Hector Balderas is in to talk about the discovery of the fraudulent report and what’s at stake for New Mexico. Balderas will also provide an update on the debacle in Sunland Park. Then, The Line examines the political implications of the fake audit.

The Line also runs round the debate over how to handle Medicaid expansion in the wake of the Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act. The opinion panel also takes a look at the Balloon Fiesta’s switch to an out-of-state company to manage food vending at the fall festival. As usual, the week’s other big headlines get the treatment as the panel goes on the clock.

New Mexico in Focus is involved, informed, in-depth media on New Mexico PBS. The program airs Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 7 a.m. on NMPBS 5.1

The Producers of NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS are Matt Grubs and Kathy Wimmer. Funding for this program was provided in part by the McCune Foundation.

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