Santa Fe, New Mexico – Sutin, Thayer & Browne is proud to congratulate James O’Neill as the 2011 recipient of The Franklin Jones Tax Policy Achievement Award.
 
The award has been presented every year since 2004 by the New Mexico Tax Research Institute (NMTRI) to a New Mexico citizen in recognition of service which contributes to enhanced understanding of tax policy in New Mexico.  The award is named in honor of Franklin Jones, a founding partner of the law firm of Sutin & Jones which is now known as Sutin, Thayer & Browne. The award was presented to Mr. O’Neill at the organization’s 8th annual Tax Policy Conference at the Hotel La Fonda in Santa Fe on May 12.
 
“Jim O’Neill embodies the spirit in which this award was conceived.  Jim has advised governors and legislators on tax policy, and has personally been involved in the development and structuring of nearly every component of New Mexico’s tax policy since the 1980s,” says Suzanne Bruckner, member of the NMTRI’s Board of Directors and associate with Sutin, Thayer & Browne.
 
The award is named in honor of Franklin Jones, an Albuquerque attorney and public official who led the restructuring of the New Mexico tax code and served as councilor and advisor to governors and legislators for decades. Franklin Jones was a founding partner of the law firm of Sutin & Jones, which is now known as Sutin, Thayer & Browne.
 
Sutin, Thayer & Browne is one of the state’s largest law firms with offices in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, providing exceptional service to New Mexico since 1946.  More information about the firm is available at www.sutinfirm.com.  Additional information on the institute and award are available at www.NMTRI.org.
 
About James O’Neill
James O’Neill is the principal of O’Neill Consulting LLC, a firm focusing on New Mexico tax law and tax policy. Most recently, Mr. O’Neill staffed Governor Richardson’s Budget Balancing Task Force, and he currently sits on the Government Restructuring Task Force.
 
In 2003 Mr. O’Neill served as the chief of staff for the New Mexico Blue Ribbon Tax Reform Commission and was the primary author of its final report. Mr. O’Neill was director of tax policy and assistant secretary of the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department from 1983 through 2001. In those positions, he advised the secretary on tax policy issues; prepared and presented legislation and testimony to the state legislature; chaired the department’s internal Tax Policy Council and directed the development and promulgation of the department’s regulations, rulings and legislative proposals.

May 13, 2011