SUNLAND PARK, N.M. (AP) — The new mayor of the troubled southern New Mexico city of Sunland Park has resigned.
Javier Perea's resignation on Friday came a day after Attorney General Gary King issued an opinion saying the City Council violated state open meetings law when they appointed him less than two weeks ago.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that Perea immediately asked the Council to reappoint him in a way that meets King's requirements.
The Council appointed Perea during an April 18 meeting attended by so many citizens that they couldn't all get into the meeting room or hear the deliberations.
Perea was appointed after mayor-elect Daniel Salinas was arrested in separate cases on charges of extortion, bribery and receiving kickbacks from a city contractor.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.