Economic Security News Coverage – New Mexico Voices for Children

Dec 07 2018

Allow next phase of city minimum wage hike as scheduled

Web Admin 2018-12-07T15:27:37+00:00 Economic Security News Coverage, Education News Coverage, News Coverage|

The average childcare provider in New Mexico only earns about $17,400 a year, according to a 2015 study from the Center for Education Policy and Research at the University of New Mexico. The issue pits low-income workers against low-income parents, explained Sharon Kayne of New Mexico Voices for Children. “The minimum wage is not the culprit,” she said. “The culprit is that the state does not reimburse childcare providers what it actually costs to care for children.”

Nov 03 2018

The next governor should improve our tax system and increase wages

Web Admin 2018-11-05T16:30:08+00:00 Blog Posts, Economic Security Blog, Economic Security News Coverage, News Coverage, Tax and Budget Blog, Tax and Budget News Coverage|

First, we recommend that the new governor work to make our tax system fairer and more stable. Thanks to 15 years of failed trickle-down tax cuts, New Mexico is now much too dependent on revenue from oil and natural gas extraction to fund our state services like education and public safety. But the amount of revenue we collect from oil production is based on prices that are set at the global level, so we’re stuck in a boom-or-bust cycle.

Oct 17 2018

Report: NM Tax Overhaul Would Benefit Kids, Families

Web Admin 2018-10-17T12:24:29+00:00 Economic Security News Coverage, News Coverage, Tax and Budget News Coverage|

James Jimenez, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, said state policymakers could address the inequity by embracing a more progressive tax system. "It's really a much fairer way of allocating tax responsibility to support the kinds of things that we need - good, strong schools and higher education, great infrastructure," he said. "Those are really the fundamental things that we need to figure out how to pay for in a fair way."

Sep 16 2018

New Mexico no longer in last place on child poverty

Web Admin 2018-09-17T11:31:46+00:00 Economic Security News Coverage, Education News Coverage, News Coverage|

The numbers, while encouraging, are not necessarily a comprehensive look at childhood poverty, says Sharon Kayne, communications director for child advocacy group New Mexico Voices for Children. Kayne pointed out that the poverty line referenced by these statistics is drastically low, around $20,000 a year for a family of three and about $25,000 for a family of four. So, even though the official count holds that 30 percent of New Mexico’s children are living in poverty, Kayne said the percentage of children who struggle with poverty-induced stress on a day-to-day basis is certainly higher.

Sep 05 2018

Jobs are up, wages flat this Labor Day

Web Admin 2018-09-07T11:18:36+00:00 Economic Security News Coverage, News Coverage|

A new study by Voices for Children found that the state minimum wage will only purchase $6.30 of the $7.50 buying power it had nine years ago. To keep pace with inflation, the new rate would need to be $8.95 an hour. “Given our rate of child poverty, which is the highest in the nation, it’s unconscionable that we haven’t raised the minimum wage to help New Mexico’s hard-working families and our economy,” Jimenez argues.

Aug 03 2018

Underfunded, undercounted: New Mexico at risk in the 2020 census

Web Admin 2018-08-03T12:51:13+00:00 Economic Security News Coverage, Health News Coverage, Human Rights/Civic Participation News Coverage, News Coverage, Racial and Ethnic Equity News Coverage|

“That means that New Mexico will receive fewer Medicaid dollars, fewer SNAP dollars, fewer Title 1 grants for schools, less money for our school lunch program, and less funding for Head Start,” said Amber Wallin, deputy director of New Mexico Voices for Children.

Jun 30 2018

Keep NM kids in mind when you vote this year

Web Admin 2018-07-03T16:57:14+00:00 Economic Security News Coverage, Education News Coverage, Health News Coverage, Kids Count News Coverage, News Coverage|

Officials with New Mexico Voices for Children, which partners on the survey, point to a decline in state funding as the cause for many of these problems. Deputy Director Amber Wallin said the state has passed 37 tax cuts since 2008; has reduced per-pupil funding for schools and money for higher education; and has cut back on the number of school-based health centers.

Jun 27 2018

New Mexico ranks 50th in Kids Count report

Web Admin 2018-06-28T15:09:47+00:00 Economic Security News Coverage, Education News Coverage, Health News Coverage, Kids Count News Coverage, News Coverage|

Four factors determine the Kids Count rankings: education, health, economic well-being, and family and community. The non-profit organization NM Voices for Children says changes to the state’s health data played a major role in moving New Mexico from 49th to 50th.

Jun 27 2018

NM Child Well-Being Slips, Isolated Bright Spots

Web Admin 2018-06-27T12:57:55+00:00 Economic Security News Coverage, Education News Coverage, Health News Coverage, Kids Count News Coverage, News Coverage|

"It's time for citizens to really push these candidates on what they're going to do to improve child well-being," he insisted. "There are a lot of solutions out there if we really believe children are our most important asset."

Jun 27 2018

New Mexico ranks last in survey of child well-being

Web Admin 2018-06-27T12:11:10+00:00 Economic Security News Coverage, Education News Coverage, Health News Coverage, Kids Count News Coverage, News Coverage|

“The data show we are at a crossroads,” James Jimenez, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, said in a news release. “We can continue to disinvest in our children or we can insist upon a new direction, one in which we make a deep commitment to improving conditions for all New Mexicans.”