Tax Day – a time for reflection on all the things New Mexico has done right

Amber Wallin, New Mexico Voices for Children
4/19/2023

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 (CTC), which we know is one of the best and most effective ways to help our families and their growing children.

Parents will be able to claim their CTC when they file their 2023 tax returns next year. The CTC will benefit every child in the state, including those who are being raised by the 27,000 grandparents who are financially responsible for their grandchildren.

Read the full article here.

Candidates should support prescription drug affordability

James Jimenez, Santa Fe New Mexican

10/20/2022

The fall campaign season is here. This is when legislative and statewide candidates should start getting specific about solutions to the real problems New Mexicans face every day.

It’s no secret that rising prices on everything from housing to groceries are hurting families. One issue that should be top of mind for candidates to ease costs is improving access to affordable medications.

In August, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, authorizing Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies to help lower some prescription drug prices. It is a step in the right direction, but New Mexico can, and should, do more to fill the gaps left by the federal legislation.

Read more in the Albuquerque Journal here.

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Pin down candidates on prescription drug affordability

James Jimenez, Santa Fe New Mexican

10/15/2022

The fall campaign season is here. This is when legislative and statewide candidates should start getting specific about solutions to the real problems New Mexicans face every day.

It’s no secret that rising prices on everything from housing to groceries are hurting families. One issue that should be at the top of mind for candidates to ease costs is improving access to affordable medications.

In August, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, authorizing Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies to help lower some prescription drug prices. It is a step in the right direction, but New Mexico can and should do more to fill in the gaps left by the federal legislation.

Read more in the Santa Fe New Mexican here.

Tax cut pitch leads to

budget warning

Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal

10/20/2022

When it comes to Ronchetti’s plan, however, some Democrats say the tax cuts would go too far.

James Jimenez, a former state budget official who is current executive director of the New Mexico Voices for Children Action Fund, a group that has opposed broad tax cuts, said spending cuts would be inevitable under Ronchetti’s plan.

“Slashing income and increasing spending, as all families know, inevitably leads to financial instability,” Jimenez said in a recent analysis.

He also said Ronchetti’s proposals would not allow for increased spending on New Mexico’s behavioral health system, affordable housing and child care assistance.