During the special legislative session, individual legislators may
be contacted by calling the legislative switchboard at (505)
986-4300 (Best in a fast-moving special session) or by email at
the legislator’s email address, if available, from Find
and Contact Your Legislator Link.
If you don't know your legislators you can also use this Link and your address to find your Representative and Senator.
Special Session About to Wrap
The Senate and House have approved a compromise tax package, Senate Bill 10, generating some $200 in new revenue from an
1/8 percent increase in gross receipts taxes (GRT), removing the
state's compensation to municipalities and counties for the GRT on
food (thus, requiring them to reinstitute the tax themselves if they
want to maintain the revenue), a compensating tax on internet sales,
and the removal of the deduction of state income taxes from those who
itemize their state income tax filing. The measure also increases the
low income tax rebate for the poorest New Mexicans raising from
$22,000 to $24,000 the income level of those eligible for the rebate;
this was done to offset the increase in taxes for those New Mexicans.
The House and the Senate have approved a budget, House Bill 2, the General Appropriations Act and an increased tax
on cigarettes, House Bill 3, which raises cigarette taxes by 75 cents per pack,
with one third of the increase dedicated to early childhood education.
Cigarette Tax One Missing Piece in Budget
Solution
Cigarette taxes are the big missing piece to fill in
the revenue gap between the Senate Tax Bill and the House Budget Bill. House Bill 3 to raise cigarette taxes by 75 cents
per pack. The measure passed out of committee when Andrew J. Barreras introduced an amendment to require that one third of
the increase be dedicated to increasing the state equalization
guarantee for public schools. With the amendment, the bill also passed
the House on a near party-line vote. This measure is awaiting a
hearing in the Senate Finance Committee this morning. An attempt
to remove the education earmark may occur in this committee.
Tell Senators to leave the education earmark in place.
There is Still an Education Cut
Under the budget contained in the bill most state
agencies would see a 2 (really 2.5, see explanation below) percent cut
in funding next year, though public education would have its total
funding reduced by about 1.2 (really 1.8, see explanation below)
percent compared with this year's spending level. The state's
Department of Public Safety would be one of the few, if not the only,
agency to receive more funding under the terms of the tentative
agreement.
The complete plan worked out by legislative leadership
would result in slightly more than $233 million per year in new taxes
as well as less money for government services as the state grapples
with a projected deficit of between $500 million and $600 million for
the budget year that begins in July. The 1.2 % cut contained in the
body of the budget bill is increased by a "sanding" amendment cutting
another .544% from every line item in the budget; House Bill 6 is needed to prevent the effect of the sanding
amendment to public schools (see below)!
House Bill 6 Needed to Hold Schools Harmless
Representative Jim R. Trujillo's House Bill 6, worked out with several
progressive Representatives, including Representatives Trujillo, Egolf, Stewart, and Miera,
and the House leadership adds $25 million to the state equalization
guarantee from the sale of severance tax bonds to offset the cuts in House Bill 2. If this bill and the entire package of taxes and the
budget pass, the cut to the basic operating funds for public schools
should be nearly zero! There are still cuts to the so-called "below the
line" funds for some categorical programs and the Public Education
Department. Another move added funds to instructional materials
from the severance bond funds. House Bill 6 is also awaiting a hearing in the Senate
Finance Committee this morning. Tell members to hold Schools
harmless and Pass House Bill 6.
If everything in the package passes, including House
Bill 6, public schools will be held nearly harmless. Even with these tax increases (and with the failure
of the cigarette tax last night, they are anything but certain!),
education is still cut too deeply. Otherwise, the 1.2 % cut contained in
the body of the budget bill is increased by a "sanding" amendment
cutting another .544% from every line item in the budget!
Our message must continue to be:
No More Cuts to Public Schools. Raise the
revenue necessary to prevents cuts in funding to public schools and
other vital government services! Vote for House Bill 6!
Education Partners' Poll on school funding and revenues
Follow this
link for legislation that passed in the regular session
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