Tax Bills to be Heard this Afternoon
The following tax bills will be heard this afternoon in
the House Business and Industry Committee.
HB 35 CIGARETTE TAX INCREASE &
DISTRIBUTION (EGOLF)
HB 50 INTERNET SALES GROSS RECEIPTS (CHAVEZ E.)
HB 62 CORPORATE TAX REPORTING & DISTRIBUTION (BEGAYE/WIRTH)
HB 119 TEMPORARY GROSS RECEIPTS INCREASE (LUJAN B.)
HB 120 TAX WITHHOLDING CHANGES (LUJAN B.)
Without these or similar tax increases, the school
budget described below cannot be funded. Urge committee members
to support all revenue increases!
School Budget Presented to House Appropriations and
Finance Committee
The House
Education Committee presented its school funding recommendations to
the House Appropriations and Finance Committee late yesterday.
While continuing the cuts instituted this year, the recommendation
seeks to prevent any additional cuts for next year, basically a flat
budget. The recommendation included $2.5 billion in state and
federal aid for public education next year. That's an increase of
about one-half percent over this year's total spending on schools, the
Public Education Department and other education programs.
It is clear that these budget recommendations will depend on lawmakers
raising taxes.
New Mexico has been relying on federal economic stimulus money to
avoid deeply cutting public schools during the recession. About $210
million in federal aid will go to schools this year, replacing state
tax money that otherwise would be needed for education. However, the
federal money is going away. Schools would get about $24 million
in federal stimulus aid next year (all that's left after this year's
funding). An increase of $165 million in state aid fills the gap
left by federal funding available this year, but not next year.
 Follow
this link to take action on health care funding!
Contact Governor
Richardson and thank him for saying no
to cuts to the classroom and salaries and yes to funding health care
for school employees.
Governor
Richardson's State of the State Address is at this link.
Education Partners' Poll on school funding and revenues |
