New Mexico rises slightly to 49th in annual Kids Count report

In what can only be described as a “nothingburger,” in the last year of Michelle Lujan Grisham’s time as governor of New Mexico, the annual Annie E. Casey Kids Count report finds New Mexico ranked 49th overall. New Mexico beat out Mississippi this year.

In terms of Economy, New Mexico ranked 47th, Education: 50th, Health 41st, and Family & Community 50th.

This is “more of the same” for New Mexico which has lagged the nation in this (and other) reports for years. It is impossible to see any sustained improvement despite New Mexico having benefited from tens-of-billions in new revenue from oil and gas and numerous new/expanded government programs including universal “free” pre-K, “free” college, massive new K-12 education spending, and a 75% increase in state general fund spending. “Free” childcare is too new and thus wouldn’t be included in this report.

The upshot is that amazingly Gov. Lujan Grisham and the Legislature have squandered tens-of-billions of dollars over her eight years in office in the midst of one of the greatest oil and gas booms in history with little to show for it in terms of better outcomes for New Mexico children. The Rio Grande Foundation has argued that free market tax reductions as well as regulatory and education reforms would have a much greater impact on New Mexicans and their children. Instead, the massive growth of government has failed to improve the lives of New Mexico children.