Farmington Daily Times--School districts in San Juan County are increasing the number of sites offering free meals to feed local students this summer. The districts provide free meals to people 18 years old and younger during the summer as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program.
KUNM FM--New Mexico is one of the poorest states in the union, and advocates fighting for people in poverty are alarmed at President Trump’s proposed budget. If the president’s budget were to pass through Congress without changes, it would pull $191 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and $600 billion from Medicaid over the next decade.
NM Political Report--Large cuts to safety-net programs will have a large impact on New Mexico, which is near the top of the nation in those on Medicaid and who receive food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Over the next ten years, the proposed Trump budget would cut Medicaid spending by $610 billion and SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, by $193 billion.
KOAT TV--It’s an idea that’s dividing pundits. Some saying that it would lower taxes for all New Mexicans, while others say that it would hurt New Mexico’s most vulnerable. “It’s going to be bad for children and bad for families.”
Public News Service--Critics of a bill approved Thursday by a House panel say it could subject families in New Mexico to a resurgence in predatory lending. The bill coming out of the House Financial Services Committee would repeal significant pieces of the Dodd-Frank Act. When housing and financial markets crashed in 2008, Wall Street reform and consumer protections were created to stop abusive practices by enhancing regulations on the financial services marketplace.
NM Political Report--Santa Fe voters delivered a decisive rejection of a proposed 2-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages to support early childhood education Tuesday in a special election. As of 10 pm Tuesday night with votes counted in all but one voting convenience center, the proposal was losing by a near-15 point margin.
Santa Fe New Mexican--Efforts to reform the New Mexico tax system have been complicated and contentious, yet Gov. Susana Martinez said Thursday she wants lawmakers to take on the task of redesigning the state’s gross receipts tax laws during an upcoming special session. “I’ll be adding comprehensive tax reform to the agenda,” the governor said during a speech at the annual conference of the New Mexico Tax Research Institute at the Sandia Resort & Casino in Albuquerque.
Public News Service--New Mexico's Legislative Council hasn't ruled out the possibility of suing Gov. Susana Martinez ahead of a potential special session of the Legislature. And family advocates are watching closely, hoping for a resolution that helps education in the state. Lawmakers passed a bipartisan financial plan that the governor signed - but only after removing every cent of higher education funding. She also vetoed House Bill 202, which would close tax loopholes for some businesses and make millions available to primary schools.
NM Political Report--A progressive group is advocating for legislators to override Gov. Susana Martinez’s vetoes of portions of the budget and an entire tax package. The odds of veto overrides are slim. The bills passed the Senate with wide, bipartisan support but passed more narrowly on party lines in the House. New Mexico Voices for Children urged supporters to contact their legislators to override the vetoes, citing the zeroing-out of the entire higher education budget.
Albuquerque Journal--Like the Albuquerque Journal editorial board, we envision a New Mexico where the economy and quality of life are as wonderful as the scenery, cultural traditions and local food. We want a New Mexico where more people have the knowledge and skills needed to earn family-sustaining wages, where businesses are born and flourish, and where crime and drug use are a scourge of the past. We believe everyone is better off when no one is left behind. As optimists, we believe such a New Mexico is possible. As realists, we know it will take hard work and strategic investments.