As the brief 30-day legislative session heads to its conclusion in just over one week (next Thursday) a tax bill has emerged. It is Senate Bill 151 and here’s our analysis of each provision (basically a bill already introduced this session) which includes details from the Los Alamos Reporter:

• SB 12 – Physician Tax Credit: Establishes a $4,000 non-refundable income tax credit for qualified physicians to attract and retain physicians in New Mexico, addressing the state’s healthcare workforce shortage. RGF has no position on this. It will have some positive impact on doctor recruitment, but we’d prefer broader tax reductions.

• SB 36 – Quantum Facility Infrastructure Tax Credit: Creates a “refundable” tax credit (meaning it can be spending) for the development of quantum computing infrastructure, positioning New Mexico at the forefront of emerging technology sectors. The credit is capped at $50 million annually. RGF has a slightly negative view on this credit since it is “refundable” and targeted to one industry.

• SB 92 – Construction Materials Gross Receipts: Creates a new gross receipts tax (GRT) deduction for receipts from the sale of construction materials and labor used in the development of affordable multifamily residential housing projects. RGF has a slightly negative view on this credit since it is only available for so-called “affordable” projects. This deduction should be available to ALL home construction.

• SB 120 – Local Journalist Employment Tax Credit: creates a refundable tax credit (spending) for local news organizations equal to 30 percent of the company’s annual wages. The total amount that can be claimed each year is capped at $4 million. RGF opposes this kind of narrowly targeted spending. 

• SB 133 – Health Equipment GRT Deduction: Creates a new gross receipts tax (GRT) deduction for receipts from the sale of certain in-office equipment and nonprescription in-office medications sold to healthcare practitioners or associations of healthcare practitioners, when the equipment or medication is used within the practitioner’s scope of practice to treat patients. RGF supports this as a means of making New Mexico more attractive as a place for doctors to practice. 

• SB 151 – Corporate Income Tax Changes: The net result of this provision would be an increase in New Mexico’s economically-harmful corporate income tax. It decouples New Mexico’s corporate income tax from three components of the 2025 reconciliation bill, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). This bill decouples New Mexico from three H.R.1. provisions:

• First-year bonus depreciation,
• First-year expensing for manufacturing facilities, and
• Business interest deductions.

RGF strongly opposes this provision. The corporate income tax is the most harmful commonly applied tax. It does not generate much revenue in New Mexico relative to other state taxes ($790 million out of more than $13 billion in general fund revenue), but does tremendous economic harm.

RGF cannot support this provision and this provision alone brings the overall tax bill (SB 151) to a negative score. 

SB 2 has passed which means that the road issue has been “put to bed” for the time being. The bill which has been signed by the Gov. includes:

$1.5 billion in new road spending via a bond (debt) package. This also includes:

A 35% increase in the weight-distance tax on trucks

A 25% increase in vehicle registrations

A new fee starting at $70/annually starting in 2027 and heading to $90 by 2029 on EV’s (which don’t pay gas taxes)

Before the bill passed I discussed the broad issue associated with New Mexico’s roads with KOAT here (you can click on the picture below to watch/read it):

Then I sat down with KOAT to discuss the fee being levied on EV’s. (click picture to watch/read). You can find a chart of how much states charge EV drivers for using the roads. New Mexico’s fee is on the low side as the average is closer to $130-$140 annually.

On this week’s Tipping Point conversation Paul and Wally discuss numerous important issues in the New Mexico Legislature:

SB 17 the anti-gun bill passes New Mexico’s Senate

SB 18 (the attack on energy and New Mexico’s economy) awaits a vote on the Senate floor though Sen. Sharer has used a parliamentary procedure to slow debate.

SB 131 by Sen. Moe Maestas would reform numerous zoning and other housing restrictions. Sadly it was killed in its first committee

Anti-ICE bill HB 9 passes and is signed by MLG.

The Gov.’s free child care plan has been revised to include copays for wealthier beneficiaries.

SB 2 road bill signed by MLG including new taxes (bad) and a new fee on EV’s. $1.5 billion in new road funding.

HB 99 medical malpractice changes are up in the House Judiciary today. Can it be made effective by stripping out an unfortunate amendment?

Democrats, superintendents, and other defenders of NM’s status quo have produced a report claiming that NM is better in education than believed.

It is tough for New Mexico to gain attention in the national media, but our incompetent politicians try very hard. SB 18, perhaps the worst bill ever, to be considered in New Mexico’s Legislature, would be both unachievable and economically devastating. So, it is at once nice and also disconcerting that national energy expert and author Alex Epstein felt compelled to provide an exhaustive takedown of SB 18. You can read his takedown here and I highly recommend subscribing to his substack.

SB 18 could be up in the Senate Tax Committee as early as this Saturday. Despite this bill being incredibly harmful to both New Mexico AND the nation as a whole (read Epstein’s piece) it is going to be a tough bill to stop.

If you don’t like the results, just change the way those results are reported. That seems to be the MO for New Mexico Democrats and the government education system. After two straight cycles of being dead last in all four categories of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, (click here for 2025 results and here for  the 2022 results) New Mexico education “blob” which includes school superintendents and Democrat legislators (to name two) wants to change the narrative. They don’t actually want to change the education system, just the narrative.

This is all covered in a Santa Fe New Mexican article. The article does include a link to the report which is somewhat incomprehensible. Mostly, the claim is that New Mexico’s test has higher proficiency standards than those of neighboring states which makes it look as if New Mexico is doing worse than others. We have no dog in that fight as we have never used state tests because they change so often.

However, the claim is made in the article that the NAEP (which we use and is called the Nation’s Report Card) sample size of 3,500 students per state is too small.

We don’t buy it. We’ll see if New Mexico’s NAEP scores improve in the next round of testing, but until then all of this is noise. New Mexico and its largest districts (including Albuquerque Public Schools) have done SOME work around the edges. Will it be enough to bring New Mexico out of last place? Only time and the next round of NAEP testing will tell, not this report. We’ll stick with the nationally-respected “gold standard” NAEP test used by literally everyone (including the liberal Annie E. Casey Foundation in their annual Kids Count report).

Paul visits with Albuquerque business owner Doug Turner who is a GOP candidate for Governor of New Mexico.  Doug believes New Mexico is being held back by big government, one-party control, and leaders who have lost sight of who government is supposed to serve.  Learn more about where Doug stands on the issues facing New Mexico in this informative interview.

New Mexico’s 30-day legislative session is halfway done. Already a few important bills have passed or are on track to pass:

Good news:

Several of the medical provider compacts have passed or are one their way to passing. On the margins these compacts will help alleviate New Mexico’s medical provider shortage. There is more work to be done, however. Several compacts have NOT moved that should move. It is easy to see what is happening with the various compacts here, just search for “Compact” and you’ll find the various bills and their status.

Bad news: 

HB 99 which would have addressed New Mexico’s medical malpractice laws was amended in House Health Committee to exempt nearly ALL hospitals from the medical malpractice limits contained in the bill. The bill is in House Judiciary. We need the committee to strip out the amendment. MLG has made it clear this is a top priority for her before she leaves office. A failure to address medical malpractice could result in a special session (or two).

SB 18 the so-called “Clear Horizons” bill would lead economic destruction of the state due to this bill’s complete elimination of CO2 emissions in New Mexico. There are so many problems with this destructive bill. You can go to this link for more AND to send a message to legislators in opposition. 

SB 2 has already passed both houses. It DOES provide a needed $1.5 billion in road funding, but it does so in part by increasing taxes (35%) on commercial truckers and (25%) on vehicle registrations. On the positive side there are fees on EV’s for the first time which will help with road maintenance.

SB 17 would have profound negative impacts on New Mexicans’ 2nd amendment rights. It remains alive.

HB 9 purports to result in the closure of ICE facilities in New Mexico. The good news is that there are numerous workarounds that will likely stave off closure of these three facilities.

MLG’s plans for “free” childcare are included in the budget, but they include copays for those with higher incomes. While we oppose MLG’s plans to provide taxpayer-funded “free” child care for ALL New Mexicans, the Legislature DOES seem reticent to give MLG everything she wants. This is a dynamic situation.

While there are plenty of very bad ideas still active in the session and at least so far medical malpractice reform remains a serious challenge, we remain hopeful that the worst bills of 2026 can be stopped. We appreciate YOUR help by reaching out to legislators.

• Medical Malpractice bill altered destroying its purpose .

• Climate Change bill to be heard in committee with possible amendment.

• HB 9 which will eliminate involvement in ICE facilities passes house

• NM is one of 5 states to have lost population last year.

• Albuquerque bus ridership rebounds slowly in 2025 but remains depressed .

• Clean Fuel Standard finalized and will take effect on April 1 .

• Last week was School Choice Week: While we don’t expect much to happen on education here are a few items .

• RGF also helped to get a memorial introduced in support of the Legislature involving NM in Trump tax credit program.

The budget bill is shaping up in Santa Fe as House Bill 2, was approved on a 15-3 vote by the Legislative Finance Committee. The bill, as Dan Boyd of the Albuquerque Journal writes, could be voted on by the full House later this week.

In it’s current form the budget would increase year-over-year state spending by about $294.5 million — or 2.7 % — over current levels.

But, the most interesting part of the budget is what it does to MLG’s “free” universal child care plan. The answer is it imposes co-pays for families making more than $132,000 per year for a family of four. Under the bill, the exact dollar amount of those co-pays would be tiered depending on a family’s gross income.

The plan would also rely on an additional $55 million distribution from the early childhood trust fund (this would require separate legislative approval).

MLG’s spokesperson stated that the Gov. doesn’t like the plan to impose co-pays.

Our take: Co-pays at least force participants to have some “skin in the game” in terms of participation. Of course, with a massive pot of money (the early childhood fund) available and likely future budget growth (both of which are driven by oil and gas) future New Mexico Democrat governors will have plenty of money to spend on “free” childcare in the future.

For now we’ll see how this debate turns out between MLG and the Legislature.

SB 18 is known as the Clear Horizons Bill, but if it were named honestly it would be called the “Destroy New  Mexico’s Economy” act. That’s because the bill is completely unrealistic in its goals. If adopted, the bill would force New Mexicans to  reduce CO2 emissions 45 percent by 2030, 75 percent by 2040, with CO2 emissions completely eliminated by 2050.

I could write an incredibly detailed 1,000 word essay with charts about why this is a bad idea, but here are just a few arguments:

1) If CO2 emissions are a problem then the focus must be on China and India which are emitting more CO2 every single year and dwarfing emissions from the US and Europe which are both declining.

2) This law will never be complied with, but the regulations will impose untold burdens on New Mexico’s economy in the form of job losses, regulatory burdens, and higher prices (no gas stoves, no gas cars, numerous other unrealistic regulations) .

3) If New Mexico policymakers were serious about reducing CO2 emissions they should be discussing ways right now to bring zero-carbon nuclear power to our state. Alas, that is not even a discussion in Santa Fe where the “Energy Transition Act” signed into law by this Gov. in 2019 actually has New Mexico abandoning nuclear power.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes and sign the following which will send a message to legislators in opposition to SB 18. It will be heard in its first committee on Tuesday, but this bill is a top priority for Gov. MLG and is likely to move further through the process. We need all the opposition we can muster RIGHT NOW!

HB 99 is the first of several bills relating to medical malpractice reform in New Mexico’s Legislature. With bipartisan support including from liberal stalwart Democrat Christine Chandler it is one of the better chances the New Mexico Legislature has to make needed reforms to the broken system.

Alas, it did not go well due to an amendment supported by the “progressive” Democrats on the Committee who changed the bill to NOT include investor-owned (as opposed to government owned hospitals). So, as it stands, only a small fraction of the hospitals in New Mexico would actually be helped by bill.

The hearing was poorly run and confusing with  the addition of the amendment being part of the problem. It was also unclear from the discussion whether non-profit hospitals like Presbyterian would be under the plan as amended (or not). It sounded like they would not, but that seems contradictory to the intention which is to penalize those supposedly “greedy” for profits.

While the policy is bad and ultimately harmful to efforts to address the medical provider shortage, the reality is that New Mexico’s legislative Democrats (with a few exceptions) don’t feel the need to make bold policy changes for the betterment of our state because they win elections no matter what they do.

Whatever happens for HB 99 and other medical malpractice bills we need legislators in both parties to prioritize the goal of achieving needed reforms and bringing more medical providers to New Mexico while retaining those that are here. Clearly, this is not at the top of Democrats’ list yet.

On this week’s interview Paul sits down with Dr. Deane Waldman and Vance Ginn, Phd. They are authors of the new book “Empower Patients: Two Doctors’ Cure for Health Care.” They discuss the issues facing American health care and then discuss specific issues in New Mexico (Dr. Deane once lived in Albuquerque and served at UNMH). Ultimately, their book and this interview attempts to provide an answer to the question, “How can policymakers at both the state and federal levels solve our crisis in health care?”

According to data released by the US Census Bureau New Mexico is one of five states to have lost population in the past year. The Santa Fe New Mexican had this article on the data. The article notes New Mexico’s heavy dependence on international migration relative to other states (no differentiation is made over whether that is legal or illegal).  As the article notes, New Mexico was “the only state with population losses that had net positive international migration. It recorded 2,879 international arrivals, which outpaced its 2,267 domestic departures.”

Ultimately, New Mexico’s declining population numbers are shocking when one considers that it is the only western state outside of California to have lost population over the past year. Worse, New Mexico’s population is aging quickly as young people depart the state in exchange for retirees moving in.

RGF believes and its research shows that population growth and numerous other positive outcomes are the result of increased economic freedom. Unfortunately, New Mexico policymakers have managed to destroy economic freedom. 

Alas, Gov. MLG’s plans for her latest welfare program “free” universal childcare (and other cradle to career programs) haven’t moved the needle to make New Mexico a more attractive place to live. Increasing economic freedom by returning money to New Mexicans and improving the outcomes associated with basic government programs (like education and crime) would.

With the start of 2026 the Rio Grande Foundation requested data on the City of Albuquerque’s bus system ridership. That data along with numbers going back to 2016 are shown on the chart below. As the Rio Grande Foundation has noted, the system has been “free” for several years now and numbers continue to rebound somewhat from the COVID pandemic, but when considered over the past decade, ridership remains depressed having decreased by more than 25 percent since 2016.

Ridership WAS up 5.86 percent from 2024 to 2025, but taxpayer-funded “free” buses have obviously done little to move the needle as other transit systems like the New Mexico RailRunner Express have also continued to rebound somewhat from the COVID-era, but remain well below pre-COVID levels.

Nearly two years after the New Mexico Legislature adopted it the State’s so-called “Clean Fuel Standard” is set to start on April 1, 2026. Legislation imposing the Clean Fuel Standard on New Mexico was passed two years ago during the 2024 30-day session. It took nearly two years to formulate the regulations, but those rules will finally start being implemented on April Fools Day (of course). While implementation of the standard was delayed somewhat, the Rio Grande Foundation did a full analysis of the issue and its impact on fuel prices.

Based on experience with a similar mandate in Oregon, the Foundation expects New Mexico gas prices to rise by 5 cents a gallon initially and topping out at a 30 cent-per-gallon increase once the law is fully implemented.

On this week’s Tipping Point conversation Paul and Wally discuss

MLG’s claim in her “State of the State” address that NM is “best state in the union to start a family”: It’s pretty hard to believe anything else in her speech when she makes such an easily disprovable whopper of a claim.

Why are physicians leaving NM? A new LFC report highlights why 2/3rds of New Mexico doctors are considering leaving.

MLG has taken a firm stance in favor of Medical Malpractice reform.

In a bit of good news the physician compact has passed the Senate (SB1).

Unfortunately, improvements to New Mexico’s roads (SB 2) will wind up costing motorists more despite record state revenues.

Plus, I JUST learned that New Mexico is only one of 4 states to even have a weight and distance tax!

SB 18: Clear skies bill would destroy NM economy 

The Foundation’s Freedom Index vote tracking site is live.

Last week Paul and Wally discussed Deb Haaland’s education plans. This week they discuss the rest of Deb Haaland’s policy proposals.

Doug Turner joins the race for Governor of New Mexico. We hope to speak to him soon on the show.

With so many emergencies facing New Mexico in its short 30-day session (medical provider shortage, road funding, and more) the State’s failing education system is not on the agenda for reform, sadly. That’s because MLG and a vast majority of the Democrats who control New Mexico would rather create another NEW failed government program (free childcare) than make sure that existing programs like our costly K-12 education system actually work.

A new report from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) ranks New Mexico 43rd nationally on education freedom. The existence of charter schools is one of the few bright spots in New Mexico’s education menagerie.

Unfortunately, while state after state (20 at last count) have decided to participate in the new federal school choice tax credit program created by Congress this summer New Mexico Gov. MLG has already stated that New Mexico would NOT participate. This is strange when you consider that it wouldn’t cost the state budget a nickel and your state is dead last in education.

Then there is the attempt to limit virtual learning. In the Legislative Finance Committee Budget (p. 446) the following appears, “For fiscal year 2027, no school district may reorganize to create a school, a school district or school program in which the majority of students attend school off campus during instructional days and no new charter school may be authorized in which the majority of students attend school off campus during instructional days.”

Ironically, just a few years ago ALL New Mexico schools were “virtual” and New Mexico’s virtual charter schools have shown themselves to be increasingly popular with nearly 3,500 student enrolled in virtual schools throughout New Mexico (as of the 2020-2021 school year). 

Overall, there isn’t a great deal to celebrate in New Mexico during School Choice Week as policymakers convene in Santa Fe with no significant effort to revamp our education system likely despite the State’s poor rankings. But, do take time to learn more about School Choice Week and various celebrations here. 

Or click on the image:

UNM is looking for a $50 million appropriation from the State for improvements to their football station. Given the sway UNM has in Santa Fe, they’ll probably get it. And, while University Stadium has been updated over the years there are some improvements needed IF the Lobos success on the field continues.

But, the State JUST put $29 million into a new stadium for the United Soccer team. Also, University Stadium is only used a handful of times a year for football with the Lobos playing 6 home games in 2025. In a sane State with reasonable financial constraints and priorities the Legislature and Gov. would have told UNM and the United to play in the same stadium. But, in New Mexico where oil and gas keeps government fat and happy and the people (many of whom keep voting for this madness) poor, it is simply another day.

On this week’s interview Paul talks to David Abbey the long time director of New Mexico’s Legislative Finance Committee. Abbey has a new book “Forty Years in the New Mexico Roundhouse” in which he provides details on his time providing the Legislature’s most important economic policy analyses.

Paul and David discuss numerous economic issues, David’s favorite people he’s worked with over the years, and some of the policies and issues that he’s both most proud of and frustrated by over the years. Don’t miss this important conversation with insights into the current 30-day session and the inner workings of New Mexico’s Legislature!

The Rio Grande Foundation has been clear in expressing support for a multi-pronged approach to improving our State’s roads. SB 2 is the Gov.’s preferred approach. As discussed in the Santa Fe New Mexican this bill would use bonding (mostly in the form of debt) to provide $1.5 billion for New Mexico roads. The Rio Grande Foundation has expressed concern about taking on new debt for roads at a time when:

1. New Mexico has been in a budget bonanza with rapidly increased spending. There should never have been a shortage of road funds in the first place. The Legislature and Gov. should use plentiful existing funds to improve and expand our roads.
2. There is $7 billion in unspent capital outlay money available that could be repurposed by the Legislature to essential transportation projects like roads.
3. Perhaps worst of all, the bill would increase taxes and fees to generate additional revenue for the State Road Fund, including a 35% increase to the weight-distance tax on heavy commercial vehicles and a 25% increase to vehicle registration fees.

New Mexicans should not be forced to pay for the unwillingness of the Legislature and Gov. to properly fund the most basic government services (basic infrastructure). While there is one positive “revenue enhancement” contained in the bill (a fee on EV’s to fund the roads since they don’t pay the gas tax), but that doesn’t save this proposal from being fatally flawed. SB 2 has been rated as a -6 out of a possible +8 to -8 in the Rio Grande Foundation’s Freedom Index.

In case you missed the ad which appeared in the Sunday Albuquerque Journal the Rio Grande Foundation joined a broad group of policy and advocacy organizations in support of pro-business policies in Santa Fe during the legislative session. Sadly, with the people currently in control of the Legislature and Governor’s mansion we don’t expect much more than “do no harm” (as opposed to a raft of good economic policy). We hope to be wrong on that and have already spent time in Santa Fe working to that end.

Check out the ad below:

RGF recently examined New Mexico Democrat gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland’s policy ideas in the area of education. The following is a discussion of her other policy proposals (click here for details from her website). As with her education policy proposals there is a lot to question and be concerned about, but here we go:

1. Raise the minimum wage: No idea has a longer history of doing the opposite of what policymakers want it to do than the minimum wage. As the New York Times once said, “the correct minimum wage is zero.”
2. She wants to ban landlords from using AI-algorithms to set rents. Of course, rent like every other price is set by the market (with government intervention playing a role as well). Banning AI simply takes one tool out of the hands of those attempting to set rents.
3. Aggressively build more housing, focusing on reducing unnecessary barriers and expediting permitting processes. This is a reasonable and useful idea. Details matter but this is the correct approach to increasing the housing supply and reducing costs.
4. Expand housing assistance programs for first time home buyers and workers in critical sectors such as education, healthcare, public safety, and social work. This is NOT the correct approach. Taxpayers will wind up on the hook.
5. Establish funding sources that invest in new and unique business opportunities in New Mexico and allow the state to recruit and invest in New Mexico based operations. No, more corporate welfare is not the right approach.  
6. Invest in more renewable energy to create jobs, lower energy costs, and make New Mexico the energy capital of the country. More subsidies for so-called “renewable” energy is not the solution.
7. Address the doctor shortage by joining interstate medical compacts, expanding residency programs to rural areas, and bolstering student loan repayment and housing incentives. These are fine, but none of these ideas address the most important reasons for our doctor shortage.
8. Increase mobile health clinics to reach New Mexicans in rural areas and protect rural hospitals. Sure. 
9. Ban medical debt from being included on credit reports. That is likely illegal and won’t be effective.
10. Protect access for those who use the state’s health insurance marketplace by expanding New Mexico’s Health Care Affordability Fund. More subsidies are not the answer.
11. Use budget surpluses to fill Medicaid gaps and hire more guides to help people keep and access their benefits. New Mexico already has more people on Medicaid as a percentage of its population than any other state. 
12. Launch a full throttle operation to deliver mental health and homelessness assistance to New Mexicans in need. Spending on the homeless has increased dramatically in New Mexico and Albuquerque itself. More money/services isn’t going to help.

Conclusion: Deb Haaland’s economic plans are almost totally lacking. Her energy policies are also weak and fail to address issues like electricity generation and oil and gas. Her lack of support for medical malpractice reform is a problem. 

New Mexico’s Legislative Finance Committee undertook a worthy effort recently when they surveyed doctors throughout New Mexico and found that 2/3rds of physicians are considering leaving the state. This is obviously a very troubling data point and one that should result in an “all of government” attempt to change.

While legislative Democrats have agreed to enter the physician compact and there is discussion about tackling medical malpractice reform there is simply not the level of urgency among Democrat legislators to address the issue in its many components. And, of course there are myriad reasons for doctors and their potential reasons for leaving. Clearly, as the survey notes below the main issue is New Mexico’s broken medical malpractice system.

Gov. MLG appears to be on the right side here, but as she has said, “there are too many (Democrat) trial attorneys in the Legislature. Sens. Peter Wirth (the majority leader), Joe Cervantes, and Katie Duhigg are just three of the most prominent obstacles to medical malpractice reform, but as long as Democrats are in the majority and keep these people in positions of leadership they will continue to make reform difficult.

And then there are the two 51% issues: “quality of life” and “compensation.” These are driven by crime, failing schools, overreliance on Medicaid, taxation (both GRT and income) and a lot of the “secondary” issues the Rio Grande Foundation discusses regularly, but which are too often ignored in discussions over the medical provider shortage. The Legislature shows no signs of addressing these issues in the upcoming 30-day session.

So, will this report and the continued public pressure we’ve seen in recent years be enough to bring needed change? We expect some change on the margins, but a general unwillingness by the trial attorneys and their allies to make big changes. Other policy issues (aside from one compact) seem to be off the table for the time being.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made numerous claims in her State of the State address yesterday. She made the bold claim (at approximately the 16:40 mark) during that speech that New Mexico is “the best place in America to start a family and build a career.” This statement alone calls into question ALL of her other claims by the simple fact that it is such a bald faced lie. In the last week Wallethub ranked New Mexico as the WORST state in the USA to raise children. And, of course, most New Mexicans should be familiar with the Kids Count report put out by the left leaning Annie E. Case Foundation which ALSO found New Mexico to be dead last in conditions for children.

It is impossible to understand WHY the Gov. would make such a claim that is so blatantly opposite reality especially when one considers New Mexico’s failing education system and worst-in-the-nation NAEP scores (which worsened under her), high crime rates,  and the ongoing debacle at CYFD.

Overall, the speech was mostly a defense of “free” universal child care and the economy which has benefited from the ongoing oil and gas boom. She made many claims that we’ll look into in the days ahead, but when you make such a blatantly false statement in your most important speech it is hard to take the rest of it seriously.