New Mexico City Manager Unlawfully Rejected Broadband Funding
Thousands left behind without explanation.
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2025 – A northern New Mexico city will not receive broadband infrastructure after a city official declined federal funding beyond her authority.
According to Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., interim City Manager Carla Martinez submitted a letter on behalf of the city of Española on June 20, declining more than $800,000 in broadband funding allocated under the Fiscal Year 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act.
The funds were to support the installation of antennas across Española to expand high-speed wireless access. Martinez’s letter provided no reason as to why she declined the funding.
The decision was made without the city council’s approval, which violated the city’s law requiring the city council’s approval before a formal rejection of federal funds.
Furthermore, Martinex had not been confirmed by the council as the temporary city manager at the time of this decision.
“It is incredibly disheartening for the council to hear from a third party about actions being taken by the administration about funds approved by the council,” District 4 City Councilor Samuel LeDoux said in a telephone interview with the Rio Grande Sun. “Particularly since Carla, at the time she made this decision, had not been ratified as interim city manager by the council.”
Martinez has yet to rescind her letter rejecting the funds.
New Mexico, which was tentatively awarded $675 million from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program, has faced difficulties with its broadband deployment. In Albuquerque, construction was halted after residents expressed frustration at the damage fiber construction was doing to the community.
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