Toney Anaya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Toney Anaya
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| 26th Governor of New Mexico | |
| In office January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1987 |
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| Lieutenant | Mike Runnels |
| Preceded by | Bruce King |
| Succeeded by | Garrey Carruthers |
| 24th Attorney General of New Mexico | |
| In office January 1, 1975 – January 1, 1979 |
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| Governor | Jerry Apodaca |
| Preceded by | David L. Norvell |
| Succeeded by | Jeff Bingaman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 29, 1941 Moriarty, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Elaine Anaya
(m. 1969; |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Georgetown University (BA) American University (JD) |
Toney Anaya (born April 29, 1941) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 26th governor of New Mexico from 1983 to 1987.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Toney Anaya was born on April 29, 1941, in Moriarty, New Mexico. He went to Georgetown University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Later, he studied law at American University's Washington College of Law, getting his law degree in 1967.
While in Washington D.C. in the 1960s, Anaya met Elaine Anaya. He was working as an assistant for Senator Joseph Montoya. Elaine was working for the United States Department of Labor. They dated for two years and got married in 1969. After their marriage, they moved back to New Mexico. They made their home near the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Toney and Elaine had three children: Kimberly, Kristina, and Toney Jr. Elaine Anaya passed away in November 2021.
Public Service Career
After returning to New Mexico, Anaya began his career in public service. He worked as an attorney for Santa Fe County. He also served as an assistant district attorney for the First Judicial District. Later, he started his own law practice in Santa Fe.
New Mexico Attorney General
From 1975 to 1979, Toney Anaya served as the Attorney General of New Mexico. This important role meant he was the state's chief legal officer. During his time as Attorney General, Anaya worked to improve conditions at the Penitentiary of New Mexico.
He led an investigation into how the prison was managed. His report in 1975 showed that there were problems with how supplies were handled. It also found that some staff members were not following rules about what could be brought into the prison. Anaya worked with the state Corrections Department Director, Michael Francke. They signed an agreement to make the prison better. This agreement aimed to improve how prisoners were classified. It also sought to stop unfair disciplinary actions. The agreement also focused on reducing overcrowding. It called for big improvements to food, water, plumbing, heating, and electricity.
In 1978, Anaya ran for the United States Senate. However, he was not elected. In 1982, he successfully ran for governor. He became the 26th governor of New Mexico.
Governor of New Mexico
As governor, Toney Anaya focused on several key areas for New Mexico. He worked on finding new energy sources. He also focused on managing water resources and protecting the environment. Education and growing the state's economy were also very important to him.
Anaya was known for his forward-thinking ideas. He helped New Mexico through a tough national economic time. He worked to shift the state's economy towards technology. He also started plans for future projects like rapid rail transit. He supported reforms in education and social programs.
In 1986, after his time as governor was ending, Anaya made a big decision. He changed the sentences of all five inmates on death row in New Mexico. He has always been against the death penalty. He had campaigned on this issue. He later said he had no regrets about his decision. On March 28, 1986, Governor Anaya declared New Mexico the first "State of Sanctuary" in the nation. This meant it offered protection to refugees from Central America.
Anaya served one term as governor, from 1983 to 1987. At that time, the New Mexico Constitution did not allow governors to serve two terms in a row. This rule changed later with an amendment in 1986. The amendment allowed state executive officers to serve two consecutive four-year terms starting in 1991.
Later Career and Public Service
After leaving the governor's office, Anaya continued to be active in public life. He has served on many boards and commissions. He has also worked with non-profit groups. His work often focuses on issues important to Hispanic communities, education, and politics. He has also contributed to the Democratic National Committee. He was involved in discussions about the North American Free Trade Agreement.
In 2009, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson asked Anaya to lead the New Mexico Office of Recovery and Reinvestment. In this role, Anaya was in charge of overseeing how federal stimulus money was spent in New Mexico. He worked closely with state agencies. His goal was to make sure the money was used correctly and transparently.
From August 2009 to January 2011, Anaya was the CEO of Natural Blue Resources. This company focused on investments in environmentally friendly businesses.
See also
In Spanish: Toney Anaya para niños
