Tim Eichenberg

Tim Eichenberg
30th Treasurer of New Mexico
Assumed office
January 1, 2015
Governor Susana Martinez
Preceded by James Lewis
Member of the New Mexico Senate
from the 15th district
In office
January 2009  January 2013
Preceded by Diane Snyder
Succeeded by Daniel Ivey-Soto
Personal details
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Sandra
Children 2
Alma mater University of New Mexico, Las Cruces

Tim Eichenberg is an American politician from the state of New Mexico. A member of the Democratic Party, he serves as the State Treasurer of New Mexico.

Experience

Eichenberg was elected as the treasurer for Bernalillo County, New Mexico, in 1974. He served for two terms, reelected in 1976. In 2004, Eichenberg served as the property tax director for the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department during the gubernatorial tenure of Bill Richardson.[1] In his position, he supercvised the work of all New Mexico County Assessors.

Eichenberg served in the New Mexico State Senate, taking office in 2009 and served for two terms.[2] He served on the Public Affairs and Judiciary Committees. In 2010,Eichenberg carried the NM Governmental Conduct Act, establishing a code of ethics for all state government employees.[3] Though he initially filed to run for reelection in 2012, he withdrew from the race on June 5, 2012 to help ailing family members.[4]

Eichenberg was elected as 30th State Treasurer of New Mexico in 2014.[5]

Prior to running, Eichenberg was employed as a Real Estate Broker and Property Tax Consultant for New Mexico Property Tax Consultants in Albuquerque, New Mexico. [6]

In 2015, Eichenberg was recognized in the Top 100 of global investors ranked by Sovereign Wealth Quarterly.[7]

In 1994, Eichenberg was charged with a misdemeanor for illegally carrying a firearm in Travis County, Texas. Inadvertently, he carried an unloaded handgun in his carry-on luggage while attempting to board a plane in Austin.[8]

Personal Life

Eichenberg was raised in Albuquerque, NM he attended Albuquerque Public Schools and was graduated from the University of New Mexico. Eichenberg and his wife, Sandra, have two adult children and two dogs.

He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and has served on the Boards for the National Kidney Foundation and the Arthritis Foundation.[9]

FBI Investigation as State Senator

In 2012, Eichenberg was reportedly investigated by the FBI regarding his association with Bernalillo County Assessor Karen Montoya. After an internal investigation, no charges were filed.[10][11]

Charges of Sexist and Racial Comments

In September 2015, the New Mexico State Personnel Director Justin Najaka terminated an agreement with the New Mexico State Treasurer's office to provide Human Resources support. In the termination letter, Najaka accused Eichenberg of making sexist remarks to staff and contractors for the State Personnel Office and commenting on the race of treasurer's office employees. Najaka also cited the treasurer's lack of communication with Personnel Office regarding personnel matters in canceling the agreement.[12]

Charges of Purchasing Violations

In October 2015, the KRQE Investigative team identified over $17,000 in contracts which duplicated services provided to the State Treasurer's Office, chiefly for attorneys that investigated employees of the State Treasurer's office.[13]

Involvement in Embezzlement Scandal

In January 2016, Eichenberg was approached by the head of an Albuquerque non-profit, eRead, about issues related to eRead contract with the Martin Luther King Commission, non-payment and emergency funding of the New Mexico Martin Luther King Commission which was presented at the State Board of Finance meeting in December 2015. Eichenberg is a member of the Martin Luther King Commission Board of Directors as well as the New Mexico State Board of Finance. Eichenberg brought the matter to the acting head of the Martin Luther King Commission, Laura Montoya who subsequently involved New Mexico State Attorney General to investigate the allocations. The New Mexico Attorney General executed search warrants at the offices of the Martin Luther King Commission on January 25, 2016 and procured evidence related to the claims. [14]

References

  1. "2 Democrats vie for treasurer’s office". abqjournal.com. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  2. "Democrat Eichenberg wins treasurer primary". abqjournal.com. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  3. "About the Treasurer's Office". nmsto.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  4. "Eichenberg won’t run in general election". New Mexico Telegram. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  5. "Eichenberg wins New Mexico state treasurer race". abqjournal.com. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  6. "Who We Are - Principals - New Mexico Property Tax Consultants". nmpropertytax.com.com. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  7. "Eichenberg named as Influential Investor". swfinstitute.org. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  8. "Eichenberg didn't disclose 1994 Gun Charge". abqjournal.com. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  9. "About the Treasurer's Office". nmsto.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  10. "Feds Asking about Bernalillo County Assessor's Office". abqjournal.com. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  11. "County Assessor's Association with State Senator Eichenberg under FBI Scruitiny". nmpolitics.net. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  12. "NM State Treasurer accused of Racist, Sexist comments". kkob.com. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  13. "NM State Treasurer Wastes Money Buying Duplicated Services; Investigating Employees". krqe.com. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  14. "Office of MLK Commission". abqjournal.com.com. Retrieved January 27, 2016.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
James B. Lewis
Treasurer of New Mexico
2015–present
Incumbent


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