New Mexico State Senator Carlos Cisneros died Tuesday. He was 71. A Democrat from Questa, Cisneros served in the Legislature for 35 years, much of it as a key negotiator on state budget matters. Cisneros' death Tuesday from a heart attack was confirmed by Legislative Council Service Director Raúl Burciaga. Cisneros first won election to the Senate in 1984 and went on to play a leading role in annual budget negotiations and legislation on tax policy. His State Senate District six stretches from the state line with Colorado to the outskirts of Los Alamos, including Taos, Peñasco, Truchas and Pojoaque Pueblo. Cisneros served for years as the vice-chair of the powerful interim Legislative Finance Committee. KSFR’s Tom Trowbridge spoke with the chairman of the panel, Senator John Arthur Smith of Deming, his thoughts on Cisneros’ passing:
Veteran New Mexico State Senator Carlos Cisneros Dies Suddenly At 71; State Mourns
