“The data show that the state must keep pushing itself to create opportunities for all New Mexico kids to thrive, but we’ve also seen progress in most indicators, and many recent family-focused state policy changes give us strong reasons to expect that we’ll continue to see improvements in the future,” said Amber Wallin, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, which runs the state’s KIDS COUNT program.
Most of us were taught at a fairly young age the importance of cleaning up the messes we make. But unfortunately, many American industries are not held to the same standards we set for our children. Chief among these is the oil and gas industry. This GIF-splainer looks at why that is and what it costs us.
Carlsbad Current Argus--Releases of excess natural gas through venting or burning it through flaring also wasted a resource Kayne said could mean more revenue to the public. “That fact that we just allow it to be vented into the atmosphere is concerning to say the least,” she said. “It’s a natural resource and it could mean more revenue.”
Report Young parents make up a very small share of New Mexico's population and they face unique challenges and barriers to success. This report looks at how this subpopulation is faring. (State-level data on the demographics of parents and young adults on indicators such as economic security, educational attainment, etc.)
Santa Fe New Mexican--Lab officials said the initiative will be one piece of the solution to closing the gap between the number of existing and needed child care slots in New Mexico, a void that currently includes more than 20,000 slots, according to a 2023 report by New Mexico Voices for Children.
Albuquerque Journal--By creating a rental database, Albuquerque would be able to gather data about the city’s residential rental market, improve communications between the city and landlords, and protect the health and well-being of rental occupants.
Post-session Review Many of the policies enacted during the 2023 legislative session mean big wins for New Mexico's families. This fact sheet lists some of the highlights, along with some policies that were either not passed or were passed and then vetoed.
Another Tax Day has come and gone, which makes it a great time to mention some of the improvements our state leaders have made to our tax system over the last several years. The big news is the creation and expansion of our Child Tax Credit, which we know is one of the best and most effective ways to help our families and their growing children.
Santa Fe New Mexican--“It’s hard to overstate the impacts of ensuring that all families can afford great child care and great early childhood experiences for their kids,” Wallin said. “We know that … access to great early care programs can lead to increased graduation rates, decreased criminal justice incidences, strengthened economic security for families for multiple generations. Those are all things that we can expect to see long term,” she added.
Santa Fe New Mexican--Through the Opportunity Enterprise Fund, there is now $70 million available “to increase economic activity in the state by providing financing for new or existing commercial facilities to attract businesses to New Mexico communities and allow existing businesses to expand their operations.”