Census: Poverty Was on the Decline in Pre-Pandemic New Mexico
“While it’s always great to see improvement, we know that the COVID-19 pandemic has likely wiped these gains away for many New Mexicans. We know that the pandemic hasn’t hit every New Mexican in the same way.”
Lost in the pandemic
Santa Fe New Mexican--“We know that going into the pandemic, low-income children in our state and the children of color in our state were facing bigger challenges than many of their peers,” Wallin said. “What we see is that those challenges have been exacerbated, that COVID has really increased racial and ethnic disparities and disparities along income lines."
Pandemic has worsened child well being in state
NM Political Report--But according to New Mexico Voices for Children, 51 percent of adults in households with children in New Mexico have lost employment since March. “We were really surprised to see how high that number is, but we know it points to a weakness that already exists,” she said.
The impact of COVID-19 on children’s well-being in New Mexico
Fact Sheet COVID-19 and the resulting recession have caused great hardship for many New Mexico children and their families. This fact sheet looks at some of the areas where children have been impacted, including their economic and food security, and education. (State-level data on various indicators of child well-being)
A better future awaits state — on the other side of oil industry
Santa Fe New Mexican--Instead, we should repeal the failed trickle-down tax breaks that were handed to the well-connected and big out-of-state corporations over the past two decades. Not only would this make us far less dependent on revenue from oil and gas, it would make our tax system more equitable for everyday working New Mexicans and more stable.
Governor: Ongoing investment in kids and their families needed
Albuquerque Journal--Nevertheless, New Mexico continues to improve in many of the indictors that measure child well-being, and Wallin credits the commitment of policy makers and “investments in programs to benefit kids and families.”