Carlsbad Current-Argus--Seven percent of births in New Mexico in 2014 were reportedly to mothers who smoked during their pregnancy, according to the KIDS COUNT data center. Smoking during pregnancy is one form of secondhand smoking and can cause a baby to be born early and have a low birth weight, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.
Carlsbad Current-Argus--Patrick "P.J." Munoz was 5 years old when he died on August 12, 1991, in Albuquerque. His father was charged in 1993 after investigators accused him of killing his son. Patrick would have turned 30 on May 5, said his uncle, Adam P. Munoz III. Munoz held a sign of his nephew's name and face during the annual Walk Against Child Abuse on Friday in Carlsbad, hoping to bring awareness to under-reported child abuse.
Albuquerque Journal--New Mexico leads the nation in the percentage of babies born into Medicaid families – which can be taken as a reflection of the state’s high poverty rate or an indication that government here takes care of its own. According to figures from 2015, 72 percent of the births reported in New Mexico were paid for by Medicaid, a jointly funded federal-state health insurance program for low-income, disabled and other people who qualify.
Public News Service--Gov. Susana Martinez refused to sign the 2017 budget presented to her by New Mexico lawmakers at the end of the legislative session last week. Instead, she vowed to call everyone back in for a special session to amend it. Family advocates are worried that in the feud, the modest social service gains made in the budget will be lost.
Albuquerque Journal--Last week the New Mexico House of Representatives voted unanimously to remove the food tax from House Bill 412, the most comprehensive tax reform legislation in a generation. New Mexico’s gross receipts or sales tax system is a mess. It is undermined by 383 loopholes, exemptions and deductions for a grab bag of things ranging from fuel for space vehicles to professional boxing matches to recreational vehicle sales. Rep. Jason Harper, R-Rio Rancho, has been thoughtfully leading the fight to close these and dozens of other loopholes and to use the resulting revenue to reduce overall tax rates.
Silver City Sun-News--The Tax and Revenue Committee in the New Mexico House of Representatives today defeated legislation by a vote of 9 to 5 that would have provided public schools a needed funding increase of $89 million per year by increasing the state’s cigarette tax by $1.50. SB 231, sponsored by Senator Howie Morales of Silver City, would have directed the new revenues to strengthen New Mexico’s K-12 classrooms. Those funds are needed to prevent looming cuts of 5% to 7% across the board to classrooms and higher education institutions if no new revenues are enacted. Two Democrats on the panel voted with Republicans to table the measure, which is now effectively dead for the session.
Albuquerque Journal--Rep. Jason Harper’s sweeping tax reform proposal – viewed by many as part of a possible compromise in the budget debate – deals with corporate income tax, business-to-business tax “pyramiding” and disbursement of the liquor excise tax, but its treatment of the food tax might be its most disputed element. The bill, sponsored by the Rio Rancho Republican and co-signed by Democratic Sens. John Arthur Smith of Deming and Carlos Cisneros of Questa, proposed reinstating the gross receipts tax on food for most New Mexicans.
Santa Fe New Mexican--The New Mexico Legislature came closer Saturday to sending Gov. Susana Martinez a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, as well as a $300 million tax package. The Senate passed House Bill 2, as well as HB 202, which could raise more than $300 million — depending on which new taxes and fees are signed and which are vetoed by Martinez, a Republican who repeatedly has vowed never to raise taxes.
Associated Press--Advocates are complaining that the Democratic-controlled New Mexico Legislature isn't doing enough to tackle poverty in one of the nation's poorest states. With a week left in the 60-day session, they are warning that brushing off of proposals such as strong payday loan reform and the expansion of early childhood education could deepen poverty in New Mexico. But Democrats on Friday defended their efforts to craft a state budget and support raising the minimum wage, saying such measures embody their concern for New Mexico's poor.
KUNM FM--Republicans in Congress have released their plan for replacing the Affordable Care Act and children’s advocates are worried about low-income kids in New Mexico. There are over 300,000 low-income kids who get health care coverage under the Medicaid program here, according to the federal government. The Republicans’ draft changes to the program would cap federal Medicaid funds at their 2016 levels in each state.