[george76]

House Bill 292 .

“New Mexico is 70 percent U.S. government land,” Joseph Eby said. “When New Mexico became a state, the federal government promised to extinguish title to public lands within a reasonable amount of time. We’ve been a state more than 100 years and are still waiting for that promise to be fulfilled.”

federal land still held in Western states, 50 percent, versus 5 percent for Eastern states

http://www.ruidosonews.com/ci_22492604/village-backs-federal-land-transfer-legislation?source=most_viewed

[muawiyah]

When the Northwest Territory was carved up into states the federal government continued to own the land and they sold it off to settlers, miners and others over a period of time. The last open public land sold by the federales in Indiana changed hands in the early 1900s! (a good example).

If New Mexico wants to purchase the federal lands go to it. Do it the same way things were done in the original states formed on federal land.

[Flycatcher]

Thanks for the ping, George.

If I'm not mistaken, Utah has beaten NM to the punch. They've already passed a similar law to take effect in 2014, I believe.

This could get fun.