Human Rights and Civic Participation
Our collective and individual needs and voices should be represented in government. Basic human rights and the ability to engage in civic participation should not be limited by a person’s race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or country of origin.
Featured Content
Strengthening All Communities for a Brighter Future
New Mexico is strongest and our future is brightest when everyone is able to make their unique contributions to our communities and the state. Yet, so many of our immigrant friends and neighbors are being held back by public policies that ignore or punish them. This report looks at how immigrant-inclusive legislation would improve the quality of life for all New Mexicans.
Essential But Excluded: How COVID-19 Relief Has Bypassed Immigrant Communities in New Mexico
Despite the fact that immigrants work, pay taxes, and are a vital part of our economy, many were left out of the relief packages Congress passed to help blunt the coming recession and assist displaced workers and small business owners. Not only is that harmful to many New Mexico children and families, it also will impede our ability to rebuild our economy.
Your Go-To Guides on How the State Collects and Spends Money and How to Influence the Process
Our state’s tax system and budget are a reflection of what we value most and an illustration of the kind of communities we wish to create. Who pays taxes and how much, and how we spend and allocate that funding – basically, how we make our values a reality – are decided by the lawmakers we elect to represent us in Santa Fe. They create the annual budget that the state uses to provide services that benefit us collectively, like education and health care. Learn more about how this works and how you can work with your legislators to promote an important policy or cause.
- Link to the full Guide to New Mexico’s Tax System or the executive summary
- Link to the full Guide to New Mexico’s State Budget or the executive summary
- Link to the Guide to Legislative Advocacy in New Mexico
- Link to the Advocate’s Guide to the New Mexico State Budget
Recent Publications
A Guide to New Mexico’s State Budget: Executive Summary
Executive summary Our state budget is a reflection of what we value most and an illustration of the kind of communities we wish to create. How we spend and allocate funding – basically, how we make our values a reality – is decided by the lawmakers we elect to represent us in Santa Fe. They create the annual budget that the state uses to provide services that benefit us collectively, like education and health care. (Link to the full Guide to New Mexico's State Budget here)
A Guide to New Mexico’s Tax System: Executive Summary
Executive summary The taxes we all pay are how we fund the state’s programs and public services that benefit us collectively. They are how we build our roads, bridges, waterlines, electrical grids, and how we educate our children, advance public health, and uphold our laws. These programs and services form the foundation of our economy, enhance our quality of life, and pay dividends far into the future. (Link to the full Guide to New Mexico's Tax System here)
Recent Blog Posts
Advancing Equity in New Mexico: The 2020 Census
Despite numerous challenges, including counterproductive federal policies and now a global pandemic, New Mexico policy-makers and local non-profit organizations are working together to make sure all New Mexicans are counted during the 2020 Census.
Rule change is a moral outrage we must not tolerate for our nation’s children
This revision is not acceptable, it targets immigrant families who are already residing legally in the United States, and it does not reflect America’s historical tradition of welcoming those seeking to make a better life. But there is still time stop this rule from being implemented.
Recent News Coverage
New Mexico enacts tougher emissions rules on oil and gas, calls for 98 percent gas capture
“We must not allow the oil and gas industry’s outsized impact on our state budget and economy to be an excuse to ignore the detrimental effects of fossil fuel dependency on our climate, our air quality, and the health of our families,” Jimenez said. “The final OCC rule banning routine venting and flaring is a good start.”
Penal system measures slowly advance in New Mexico Legislature
“We’re concerned that private, for-profit prisons create a perverse incentive to incarcerate more people and keep them in longer,” said Bill Jordan, a lobbyist for the nonprofit New Mexico Voices for Children.
Resources
Vote! Your County Clerk’s office can tell you where to register and vote. The Secretary of State’s Office also has information on voter registration, voter rights, and elections in New Mexico. The League of Women Voters of Central NM also provides contact information for voter registration, political parties, and elected officials at the state and local levels.
Advocate for Issues You Care About Meet with, write or call your legislator or congress person about an issue that concerns you. They really do appreciate hearing from you. Not sure who represents you in Santa Fe and Washington? Find out here.
Know Your Rights Do you believe your constitutional rights have been violated? Contact the ACLU of New Mexico to see if you may have a legal case.