Santa Fe New Mexican--“When you give people money, they invest in themselves,” New Mexico Voices for Children policy analyst Javier Rojo said during a news conference Tuesday at the Capitol.
The Hill--Mixed-status immigrant families are less likely to have health insurance, stable employment, savings, stable housing and food security, according to the report. “Their exclusion from most of the social safety net further exacerbates their tenuous socio-economic conditions,” the report states.
Santa Fe Reporter--At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, immigrant families were “not only excluded from pandemic relief, but also social safety nets,” leading them to be the focus of the program, NM Voices for Children Javier Senior Research and Policy Javier Rojo said during a news conference. Such exclusion took place despite mixed-status households reportedly paying $68 million in local and state taxes yearly in New Mexico.
A report on a recently concluded statewide guaranteed income pilot program with 330 immigrant families demonstrated unrestricted cash assistance programs allowed for low-wage earners to pursue better jobs, increase their educational levels, and improve other critical outcomes for their children. The report, Guaranteed Income: Increasing Employment and Helping Families Thrive, on the New Mexico Guaranteed Income Pilot Program for Immigrant Families, was released on December 12, 2023.
Report Research shows that when people are given unrestricted cash payments -- sometimes called guaranteed income (GI) -- they pursue better jobs, complete educational or vocational training, and create stability for their families. This report (available in English and Spanish) looks at how a GI pilot program for immigrant families in New Mexico improved outcomes for participating families. (Programmatic data on well-being for immigrant families.)
Albuquerque Journal--New Mexico, Colorado, Minnesota, Vermont, Michigan and Massachusetts all made school breakfast and lunch free for all students starting this academic year. “The thing that’s really interesting is in New Mexico, the bill passed unanimously,” Wildau said. “Nobody voted against it, and so that was really unique.”
Carlsbad Current Argus--The letter was also supported by New Mexico Voices for Children, New Mexico Wild and the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, along with national groups like the Sierra Club and Earthworks.
Rio Rancho Observer--“This year, New Mexico became one of the first states to provide healthy school meals to every student in part by leveraging federal meal reimbursements through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program,” said Emily Wildau, director of New Mexico Kids Count at New Mexico Voices for Children. “But current meal reimbursement rates don’t cover the full cost of school meal programs."
It is with deep gratitude that the Board of Directors announces the departure of Amber Wallin as New Mexico Voices for Children’s Executive Director. After 11 years at NM Voices, Amber has accepted a senior position at the State Revenue Alliance. Amber’s final day with NM Voices will be in October of 2023.
Santa Fe New Mexican--We support the proposed 3% tax because it’s a fair solution that asks those with plenty to help ensure all Santa Fe families and children have opportunities to thrive in the community they call home. The proposed 3% tax will generate an estimated $6 million per year to support working families in finding homes in Santa Fe, building wealth and raising their children here.