By KRWG News
New Mexico – ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRWG) The New Mexico Supreme Court says Gov. Susana Martinez's partial veto of legislation that was aimed at shoring up the state's unemployment compensation fund was unconstitutional.
With Wednesday's ruling, the legislation is reinstated as it was passed by lawmakers earlier this year.
The legislation includes a $128 million tax increase on businesses that was meant to shore up the fund, which is projected to run out of money next year.
The court says the governor's partial veto removed one of the variables needed to calculate employer contributions beginning in January.
Six Democratic lawmakers had asked the court to invalidate the veto.
A spokesman for Martinez says the governor used her line-item veto authority in the same way former Gov. Bill Richardson did in 2010 and disagrees with the court's decision.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. KRWG