Tax Fairness & Budget Adequacy Publications
A new state Child Tax Credit would create opportunities for all New Mexico kids to thrive
Fact Sheet Many families are still hurting from the pandemic recession. A new state-level Child Tax Credit would help hard-working families and grandparents raising grandchildren, and make our tax system more fair. (State-level data on how this tax credit would benefit families)
Exempting Social Security Income from Taxation: Not Targeted, Not Necessary, Not Cheap
Fact Sheet Legislation to exempt all Social Security income from state taxes is popular, but it would only help those with the highest incomes because low-income seniors are already not taxed on their Social Security benefits. (State-level data on some aspects of the senior population)
Ensuring a Fair Share: Modernizing Federal Oil and Gas Revenue Policies
Policy Brief New Mexico’s school children are not getting their fair share of oil and gas revenues. That’s because the rental and royalty rates for drilling on federal lands are beyond outdated; some have not been revised in nearly a century. (State-level data on oil and gas production)
Many New Mexico kids, families, and seniors will benefit from state income tax changes
Fact Sheet Changes that have been made to the state tax code in recent years will benefit half a million tax filers - all of them of low and moderate means. This fact sheet presents the basics of who will benefit and by how much. (State-level data on number of beneficiaries in each group)
Ending Childhood Food Insecurity in New Mexico
Report New Mexico's childhood food insecurity rate has long been at or near the highest in the nation. The pandemic and resulting recession only made it worse. This updated report looks at why food insecurity is such a problem in New Mexico, how it impacts children and families, and what the state can do about it. (State- and county-level data on food and economic insecurity)
Health-in-All-Policies for New Mexico
Report Your state of health is dependent on many variables - including where you live, how much you earn, and even how far you went in school. These are called "social determinants of health" and they not only impact your health but they also impact your ability to choose a healthy lifestyle. Everyone's health could be improved if lawmakers took these determinants of health into account when creating public policies. This report offers an overview of the determinants of health as well as the policies that can improve health for all.
How the American Rescue Plan will help New Mexico
Fact Sheet The American Rescue Plan Act will help New Mexico in a number of ways - income supports, housing and food assistance for families, and education and health care assistance for the state, cities, counties, and Tribes. This fact sheet looks specifically at how children of color - who have been disproportionately harmed by the pandemic - will be helped. (State-level estimates, some by race and ethnicity, on how many people will be impacted)
Juvenile fines and fees are bad for youth, families, and the state
Fact Sheet Court fines and fees for juveniles are harmful to youth and their families, racially discriminatory, and costly to administer. They can quickly amount to hundreds of dollars, resulting in a significant financial burden for New Mexico families, taking from them some of the very resources they need to invest in their children’s future and purchase food, education, housing, and health insurance.
Orphaned Wells and Inadequate Bonds: How the Oil and Gas Industry Could Soon Become a Financial Burden
Policy Brief Overproduction, a global price war, and the COVID-19 pandemic have led many oil and gas companies in New Mexico and across the West to file for bankruptcy. This means orphaned wells – inactive wells that bankrupt companies have failed to plug – are left behind to pollute the state, which also has to pay the clean-up costs due to inadequate bonding requirements. At the same time, the pandemic has resulted in revenue shortfalls for our state budget. (State-level data on orphaned wells, estimated clean-up costs)
Tobacco taxes support a healthy future for New Mexico
Fact Sheet Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined. One evidence-based way to help youth and those earning low incomes to stop or reduce smoking is to increase tobacco taxes. It also raises some of the funding needed to cover the public health care costs. (State-level data on smoking, death rates, etc.)