Infographic Trickle-down economics were touted for years as an economic tool for creating jobs. Tax cuts do change the way in which money flows through the economy, but not quite in the way proponents promised.
Fact Sheet For a quarter of a century New Mexico has been under a court order to improve how it processes applications for food and health care benefits. Yet it continues to be in contempt of court. This fact sheet looks at the problems and presents solutions. Produced in conjunction with the NM Center on Law and Poverty. (State-level data on NM HSD's problems processing Medicaid and SNAP applications)
Infographic Faced with falling revenue and unwilling to raise taxes, New Mexico's Legislature made deep cuts in some critical programs. But, as this infographic shows, one area of the budget actually saw increases.
Report Many low-wage occupations do not come with benefits like paid sick leave. So workers who are already earning low wages have to forfeit those wages in order to stay at home to tend a sick child or care for themselves. The U.S. has no national policy, so states and cities are taking up the issue. With the lowest rate in the nation of workers with paid sick leave, New Mexico has much to gain by enacting such legislation. (State-, national-, and international-level data on sick leave policies, some by race and ethnicity)
Infographic Cutting taxes in the hope that jobs will be created is a "race to the bottom" as state revenues decline and services like education, health care and public safety are cut. Investing in our state's human capital and infrastructure is a "race to the top" that will make New Mexico attractive to employers.
Fact Sheet Between the recent drop in oil and gas prices, the state's sluggish economy, and a decade worth of tax cuts, New Mexico is not bringing in enough revenue to properly fund services like education, health care and public safety. This fact sheet lays out several options lawmakers have for raising new revenue.
Fact Sheet New Mexico needs to make attending its universities and colleges less expensive if we are to strengthen our workforce and improve economic development. Making much more of our state financial aid need-based is an important first step.
Fact Sheet Some lawmakers have balked at fully funding Medicaid now that we have to start paying our share of the Medicaid expansion, but there are many reasons to do it. The Medicaid expansion has been good for our economy. By increasing demand for health care, Medicaid has created some of the only job growth the state has seen over the last year. And job growth will likely remain strong in the years ahead.
Fact Sheet Some lawmakers have balked at fully funding Medicaid now that we have to start paying our share of the Medicaid expansion, but there are many reasons to do it. Actually, there more than 800,000 reasons to fully fund Medicaid -- because that’s how many New Mexicans are able to receive health care thanks to the program. (County-level data on Medicaid enrollment)
Fact Sheet Some lawmakers have balked at fully funding Medicaid now that we have to start paying our share of the Medicaid expansion, but there are many reasons to do it. Besides decreasing hospital stays for those who are uninsured, the Medicaid expansion is good for the state piggy bank in other ways, because federal funding is now covering medical bills the state used to pay. We’re also bringing in new revenue. In all, the expansion will more than pay for itself until 2021.