There’s never enough money. New Mexico government is “cut to the bone.” We need a new program to do X, Y, and Z. How many times have we heard comments like that? If you are in the Rio Grande Foundation’s line of work (or you keep track of public policy issues at all), it is practically all you here.
In reality, when considered as a percentage of personal incomes (in other words, “how much government can we afford?”) New Mexico is a very big spender. As seen in our chart which just selects for New Mexico (or the full page chart contained in this report from the 1889 Institute, you can see for yourself just how big of a spender New Mexico government really is.
Far from needing to spend MORE, it would seem that New Mexico could comfortably cut back spending across the board, but especially in higher education, welfare spending, and corrections.
I’ve pointed out some of these numbers regarding Higher Ed and Public Ed (based on Census Department data that I looked up) to people in discussions about “how little NM spends”. For those that want more spending, it seems to make no impression at all.
I know, New Mexico has gotten the government its people have chosen. Sad.