AG: Land Commissioner Overstepped Authority

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) – Attorney General Gary King’s office has concluded that state Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons lacked the authority to enter into a business lease with a developer for a master plan in Las Cruces’ east mesa area.

King’s office says certain terms of the January 2007 lease overstepped the bounds of the Land Office’s legal authority.

Two Las Cruces-area lawmakers sought the opinion about the legality of the lease with Solo Investments.

King says they asked his office to determine whether the Land Office had the authority to issue sole-source leases under certain conditions. He says his office believes the specific lease contains provisions not authorized by New Mexico law.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)