During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic assistance policies like the expanded federal Child Tax Credit resulted in a record decline in child poverty. Now, with the end of COVID-era assistance, the nation saw a record increase in child poverty – clearly showing us that poverty is a policy choice.
Rio Rancho Observer--New Mexico’s children deserve every opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential. With the critical funding our Legislature appropriated, these programs will reduce childhood poverty and improve educational outcomes for children. They will also expand economic opportunities for families across New Mexico. And we know that kids do better when families have the resources they need.
Wall Street Journal--In New Mexico, voters approved the first constitutional amendment guaranteeing funding for early childhood education last November. While the impending loss of Covid-relief funding wasn’t the reason for the amendment’s success, it did increase urgency around its passage, said Amber Wallin, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children.
KRWG--For far too long, antiquated policies under the current leasing system have left our families on the hook to pay to clean up messes left behind by bankrupt oil and gas companies – messes involving orphaned wells with decaying and leaking infrastructure that can pollute our air and water. This has robbed our communities of tax dollars that could have been put to use improving our children’s classrooms, and our hospitals and roadways.
NM Political Report--Shiv said the harm of climate change comes in the fact that all the issues are interrelated. “Having conditions for drought, we’re more likely to see more wildfires. That worsens air quality; we see poor air quality and that connects to extreme heat. It’s hard to pick out one issue. It’s all linked to climate change,” she said.
Albuquerque Journal--“Rising temperatures, droughts and floods have huge impacts on food chains — which then impact the amount of food, the quality of food and increases the prices of food,” Shiv said. “All of that makes it harder to access healthy, nutritious food … in a state where 21% of children already have limited access to food.”
Children are especially susceptible to extreme heat, air and water pollution, and other aspects of climate change. That’s the primary finding in a report released today by New Mexico Voices for Children. The report also looks at public policies the state can adopt to help protect the climate from more devastation and to better prepare New Mexicans from extreme weather and climate events, particularly those living in high-risk areas.
Report Children are more susceptible to climate change than adults are and exposure to pollutants can cause life-long problems. There is much the state can do to mitigate climate change and to ensure that New Mexicans have the resources needed to recover from extreme climate-related events like wildfires. (State-level data on greenhouse gas emissions, and other climate-change-related issues.)
Advocacy Guide Designed as a companion to A Guide to the New Mexico State Budget, this guide is written for people who are interested in advocating for General Fund monies for operating and programmatic purposes.
Carlsbad Current Argus--“We were all taught at a young age then we make a mess, we need to take responsibility and clean up after ourselves. These reforms are especially important because we know orphaned wells and infrastructure threaten the health of our families and communities,” Knight said. “We know that updating the federal royalty and rental rates is an important step to making sure the oil and gas industry pays its fair share.”