Back-room debates. Angry lawmakers. A meltdown that doomed up to $297 million to pay for brick-and-mortar projects and roads across New Mexico.

The high-stakes political game of the just-ended legislative session over capital outlay might raise hopes among critics that their lonely chorus calling for reform might grow larger.

But don’t count on it, some legislators say. These officials wonder whether even this year’s dramatic demise of the capital outlay bill could generate enough political will to reform a process that encourages individual legislators, the governor and the executive branch to fund pet projects.

Read more here: http://krwg.org/post/critics-failure-new-mexico-capital-outlay-bill-shows-need-reform