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I.
ECONOMIC JUSTICE A.
Statewide Living Wage
New Mexico Voices for Children believes that everyone
should have the opportunity to work towards economic stability and prosperity.
A living wage enables families to work their way out of poverty and into prosperity.
We support living wages. Our
research shows the different wage levels required for different types of households
to live at a "bare bones" level in 52 communities across New Mexico.
(The bare bones wage in Albuquerque would be approximately $12 per hour). The
current federal minimum wage is $5.15 per hour. The
federal poverty level is woefully outdated. New Mexico's working families need
to earn from 136% to 247% (depending on family size and geographic area) of the
federal poverty level just to live at a bare bones level.
| New
Mexico Voices for Children supports this policy proposal:
- Instituting a
statewide minimum wage of no less than $7.50 per hour. Municipalities should be
able to override the statewide minimum wage in order to institute a higher minimum
wage within their particular city or county.
| B.
Family Friendly Tax Policy
VOICES supports progressive tax policies that
assure adequate state revenue to fund important state-funded services like education,
health care and public safety, and that reduce poverty in New Mexico. We oppose
regressive tax policies that favor the wealthy and harm families by reducing the
amount of money available to pay for education, health care and public safety.
| New
Mexico Voices for Children supports these policy proposals:
- Creation of a
state Working Families Tax Credit that piggybacks on the federal Earned Income
Tax Credit (EITC), and is worth at least 10% of the EITC. Voices believes that
eligible families should receive both the new Working Families Tax Credit and
the existing Low Income Comprehensive Tax Rebate, not either/or as some have proposed.
Cost to the state: $37,000,000.
- Lowering
the corporate tax rate and closing a loophole which allows corporations that conduct
business in more than one state to use filing methods that permit them to avoid
paying some of their New Mexico corporate income tax. New income generated: $50,000,000.
- Personal
income tax reform that closes a loophole for higher income people who itemize
deductions. These filers would be required to add back into their countable income
(for the purpose of determining the state tax owed) the state and local taxes
they paid but were allowed to deduct from their countable income when determining
what they owe in federal taxes. New income generated: approximately $60,000,000.
- Reinstate
the estate tax on property worth over $2 million. Family farms would be exempted.
New income generated: approximately $20,000,000.
- Creation
of a Tax Expenditure Report that tracks the cost of tax credits, exemptions and
deductions, so that these are part of the annual budgeting process. Tracking tax
expenditures as well as budget expenditures is good government, and makes the
state finances more transparent and accountable. Cost to the state: $100,000.
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| New
Mexico Voices for Children opposes these policy proposals:
- A reduction in
gross receipts tax "pyramiding" on business that further reduces state
revenues.
- A
tax on sodas or sweetened foods. This is a regressive tax that does nothing to
reduce consumption of sugar-containing foods.
| C.
Reducing Poverty By Helping Families To Develop - and Hold On To - Assets
Research shows that having assets - such as a house or savings account - are essential
to a family's ability to move out of poverty and into economic security. New Mexico
Voices for Children supports policies that enable low-income families to develop
and maintain assets.
| New
Mexico Voices for Children supports these policy proposals:
- Limit the fees
and interest that can be charged to consumers by payday, car title and tax refund
lenders. Under current law, New Mexico does not limit fees and interest or regulate
the length and term of consumer loans. Unscrupulous lenders often charge interest
in excess of 600%. Voices supports legislation that would end predatory lending
practices and encourage fair and honest lending. Weak legislation that falls short
of limiting interest and fees should be rejected.
- Add
additional money to the Housing Trust Fund that would allow low- income families
to obtain financial help to buy a house.
- Expand
family-friendly unemployment insurance reforms passed in 2003, which provided
an increase in unemployment benefits by boosting weekly benefits for those workers
with children, and ending the one-week waiting period. Assure that we maintain
the low unemployment insurance rates paid by employers.
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II.
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES A.
Children's Health
Access to quality health care is essential to children's
health. New Mexico Voices for Children supports policies that increase children's
access to health and encourage healthy behaviors.
| New
Mexico Voices for Children supports these policy proposals:
- Expanded funding
for Medicaid - the health insurance program for low-income children, disabled
and elderly - with no cuts in benefit levels. We support the governor's initiative
to expand Medicaid coverage to adults up to 100% of the federal poverty level.
Restore funds that were cut from the 2004 budget in order to end the state's auto-closure
program which automatically dis-enrolls children at the end of their certification
period. -
Expand access to health insurance through the new State Coverage Initiative to
low-income working adults. Many employers do not provide health insurance and
pay wages too low to enable employees to pay the full cost of it. This proposal
would provide employers a government subsidy so that they can provide a basic
health insurance package to their employees. Voices supports funding for the State
Coverage Initiative ONLY if Medicaid is fully funded and eligibility and benefits
for currently eligible persons are not reduced.
- Increase
the number of school-based health centers that provide physical and mental health
care services to adolescents. New Mexico has the nation's highest rate of youth
suicide in the nation and high rates of obesity and diabetes. School-based health
centers are an effective way to reach youth who may be at risk for illnesses that
could be prevented. Proposed funding would establish a new school based health
center in every county.
- A
Clean Indoor Air Act to prohibit smoking in restaurants in New Mexico. Evidence
clearly indicates the dangers of second hand smoke to all of us, especially young
children.
- ·
Maintain an adequate level of funding for tobacco prevention initiatives for young
people. Our investment in tobacco prevention is producing results, saving health
care dollars, and should be maintained at current levels. No new money required.
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New
Mexico Voices for Children opposes this policy proposal:
- Oppose the criminalization
of tobacco use by underage youth. While Voices acknowledges that young people
should not be using tobacco products, we do not believe that criminalizing children
is an effective or appropriate action.
| B.
Children's Safety
New Mexico Voices for Children supports policies that
will help to keep our children safe from harm.
| New
Mexico Voices for Children supports this policy proposal:
- Require children
and youth to wear helmets when riding bicycles, skateboards and skates and ATV's.
Voices also supports an effective ATV safety law to provide for safe use of ATV's
by young people.
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| New
Mexico Voices for Children opposes these policy proposals:
- Expansion of
the scope of law that allows people to carry concealed weapons in order to allow
more people to carry concealed weapons in more places.
- Legal
immunity for gun makers and sellers, even when they are found to be negligent.
Voices believes that if gun makers or gun sellers are found to be negligent and
a child is injured or killed, the family should be able to sue for damages. No
other industry is provided this kind of legal immunity, nor should the gun industry
be.
| C.
Education New
Mexico Voices for Children supports policies to expand quality educational opportunities
to all children and working adults.
| New
Mexico Voices for Children supports these policy proposals:
- Restoration of
eligibility for childcare assistance to families whose income is less than 200%
of the federal poverty level (FPL). In 2001, childcare assistance was reduced
from 200% FPL to 100% FPL. Governor Richardson has incrementally raised eligibility
to 155% FPL. But still, thousands of working families with small children are
struggling to afford quality childcare. The funding necessary to restore eligibility
for all low-income families, and to improve the quality of childcare is a smart
investment. New state investment needed: $18,200,000.
- Continued
phase-in of universal, voluntary pre-kindergarten program for four year olds.
- Expand
the home visiting project that provides home visits by a nurse for newborns infants.
Studies indicate that home visiting programs provide huge cost savings in health
care and education.
- Increased
support for out-of-school programs such as service learning and community volunteerism,
to provide greater opportunities for young people.
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III.
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION New
Mexico Voices for Children supports the recognition and civil rights of all persons
and families.
New
Mexico Voices for Children supports these policy proposals:
- Support gay and
lesbian couples who want to strengthen their families by making a life-long civil
commitment to each other. Studies indicate that children thrive in households
with same gender parents. Voices opposes any legislation or constitutional amendment
that would prohibit marriage or civil commitments between same gender partners.
- Repeal
of the death penalty. The death penalty is known to be applied in a discriminatory
manner, ineffective as a deterrent to crime, and more costly than life in prison.
Voices also believes we should not be teaching our children that killing another
is an appropriate form of justice.
- Support
for immigrant families by opposing restrictions on driver's licenses, school attendance,
higher education, health care or job access.
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IV.
CIVIC PARTICIPATION VOICES
supports policies that encourage civic participation within communities and government.
We especially encourage participation of young people in the development of policies
that impact them and their peers.
| New
Mexico Voices for Children supports this policy proposal: - Public
financing of electoral campaigns. Large contributions to political campaigns distort
the democratic process, open the door to corruption, and dilute the voices of
children and families.
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| New
Mexico Voices for Children opposes this policy proposal:
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Youth
curfew laws. While curfew laws are purported to be for the safety of children,
studies indicate that children are most in harm's way in the after-school hours,
not from midnight to 5am. Curfew laws do not protect children. Curfew laws perpetuate
negative images of young people as trouble-makers. |
| New
Mexico Voices for Children supports this policy proposal: - Public
financing of electoral campaigns. Large contributions to political campaigns distort
the democratic process, open the door to corruption, and dilute the voices of
children and families.
- New
Mexico Voices for Children opposes this policy proposal:
- Youth
curfew laws. While curfew laws are purported to be for the safety of children,
studies indicate that children are most in harm's way in the after-school hours,
not from midnight to 5am. Curfew laws do not protect children. Curfew laws perpetuate
negative images of young people as trouble-makers.
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