ALBUQUERQUE — With election results in, it’s time to get to work. A new governor in office signals change on the horizon for New Mexico. We urge our new Governor, and our new and returning policymakers, to prioritize our hard-working families and their kids when they meet in January, 2019.

Our Roadmap to a Stronger New Mexico outlines changes that are vital to improving child well-being in our state. Our policy priorities include:

·Enacting a new Child Tax Credit and increasing the Working Families Tax Credit. Our state and local tax system now requires those who earn the least to pay a larger share of their income than the wealthiest. Working towards a stronger New Mexico requires making our tax system fairer.

·Raising the personal income tax for high earners and raising the corporate income tax rate. We need to reduce our reliance on highly volatile oil and gas revenue so we can commit to long-term to funding our health care system, fixing and maintaining our roads, and establishing consistently high-quality education for our kids.

·Protecting families by keeping food tax-free. Taxing food is a regressive measure that will have a serious impact on families earning low wages. New Mexico has the second worst rate of child hunger in the nation. Enacting a food tax would have serious implications on food availability for our already hungry kids.

We’ll be watching closely to see what our governor and legislators prioritize in 2019. The changes brought about in November aren’t just about political parties or candidates – they are about how state policies can improve children’s lives.”

New Mexico Voices for Children is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating for policies to improve the health and well-being of New Mexico’s children, families and communities. Visit: www.nmvoices.org.

By James Jimenez

Executive Director NM Voices for Children