Town commissioners in Edgewood, New Mexico, which is home to about 6,100 residents, passed an ordinance April 26 that openly and publicly opposes abortion in light of a new state law that prohibits public bodies from blocking abortion access.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed HB 7 into law in early April to not only guarantee “reproductive health care" but to restrict cities and counties from taking action to block it.
Sterling Donner, an Edgewood town commissioner who introduced the ordinance, tells AFN four commissioners vocally supported the ordinance but one of the four expressed concerns about the “legal ramifications” for the city and its taxpayers. A fifth town commissioner was “vehemently” against it.
So it passed.
Behind the scenes, however, Donner says the town leaders were warned by a state lawmaker who threatened to cut funds to the city. He identified that person as Rep. Matthew McQueen, a Democrat, who represents District 50.
“He basically threatened to pull our capital outlay,” Donner alleges. “He's one of our representatives that covers Edgewood and he flat-out said that he would have to reevaluate what type of funds we would get if Edgewood would pass this ordinance.”
A second state lawmaker, Rep. Stefani Lord, a Republican, appeared before the town commissioners and urged them to vote for the ordinance and defy state leaders, according to news website Source NM.
“HB7 was set so that progressives up in Santa Fe can dictate everything in all of New Mexico that leaves out the rural voice,” Lord told the town commission, according to the Source NM story.
