New Mexico Voices for Children
Issue Areas and Policy Priorities

Our issue areas are organized under our four core values: economic justice, healthy communities, human rights, and civic participation. Each issue area corresponds to one or more of the outcomes envisioned in our New Mexico Children's Charter. Click on the core value or issue area to read more about it and our corresponding policy priorities.

The policy priorities listed below are general guidelines. We actively pursue specific policies at different times depending on numerous factors. We also oppose policies that we believe will harm children and working families.

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Economic Justice
Fair and responsible tax and budget policies; economic opportunity for all

Economic Justice Issue Areas:

• Progressive Tax Policy Reform, an Adequate Budget, and Family-Based Priorities
• Reducing Poverty through a Living Wage and Other Work Supports
• Reducing Poverty by Helping Families Develop and Hold On To Assets

Economic Justice Policy Priorities:

• Close the loophole that allows out-of-state corporations to avoid paying corporate income tax to New Mexico on the profits they make here.
• Reinstate the estate tax on property worth more than $2 million, exempting family farms.
• End special treatment of capital gains income.
• Roll back the income tax cuts of 2003 for the wealthiest tax filers or create a surtax for this income group.
• Require greater transparency of the state's tax policy.
• Reform or repeal of the Tax Increment for Development Act (TIDA) of 2006.
• Enact a modest increase in the motor vehicle excise tax.
• Increase alcohol taxes and tax so-called alcopops at a higher rate.
• Allow the auction of carbon allowances.
• Index the state minimum wage and allow cities and counties to enact minimum wage levels higher than the state’s.
• Require that all employers offer paid sick days, paid medical leave, overtime pay for all hourly workers, pay equity for women and minorities, and non-discrimination policies.
• Eliminate the one-week waiting period for those receiving unemployment insurance (UI) benefits.
• Extend workman’s compensation to all agricultural workers.
• Dedicate a portion of Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) funds to incumbent worker training.
• Limit the fees and interest that can be charged to consumers by non-traditional lenders.

Healthy Communities
Affordable health care, quality education, and safe neighborhoods for all

Healthy Communities Issue Areas:

• Health Care
• Education
• Child Safety

Healthy Communities Policy Priorities:

• Guarantee health care for everyone.
• Fully implement federal health care reform.
• Require parity for mental and behavioral health care and that substance abuse treatment be covered by private health insurance.
• Fully fund, and simplify enrollment and retention in Medicaid and the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
• Fully fund all public health programs.
• Expand the number of school-based health centers (SBHCs), particularly in rural areas of the state, and grant them adequate funding.
• End the waiting lists for those needing services under the Developmental Disabilities, Medically Fragile, Disabled and Elderly Medicaid Waivers.
• Require that medical interpreters are available in all major hospitals for patients speaking Navajo, Spanish and Vietnamese.
• Substantially increase state- and federal-level funding for programs serving Native Americans.
• Invest in quality early childcare and education to create a continuum of services that connect early childhood care and development programs with K-12 education.
• Restore eligibility for childcare assistance to parents living at 200% of the federal poverty level.
• Raise the wage level at which families lose childcare assistance.
• Increase funding for programs that improve the quality of childcare and early education programs.
• Adequately fund elementary and secondary education.
• Fully fund New Mexico’s college and universities and the College Affordability Fund.
• Invest more funding in adult basic education programs, English as a second language courses, and targeted workforce training.
• Require gun manufacturers to put safety locks on all firearms.
• Require the use of safety helmets by children when skiing, and limit child use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)

Human Rights
Equality is not limited by one's race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, or sexual orientation; human dignity for all

Human Rights Issue Areas:

• Racial Equity and Anti-Discrimination
• Immigration

Human Rights Policy Priorities:

• Ensure equal rights for all gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons.
• Ensure the right of gay and lesbian couples to make a life-long civil commitment to each other.
• Require a racial impact analysis on all legislation similar to the environmental and small business impact reports that are currently required.
• Strengthen human trafficking laws and create support programs for victims.
• Enact a just and humane immigration policy that includes a path to citizenship.

Civic Participation
Our collective and individual voices matter

Civic Participation Issue Areas:

• Elections and Voter's Rights
• Ethics and Accountability

Civic Participation Policy Priorities:

• Allow public financing of political campaigns for all state, city and county offices.
• Make certain that information about all private campaign contributions are easily and publically accessible on the web.
• Require transparency in government budgeting, contracting, tax policy, and economic development incentives.
• Institute an independent ethics committee.
• Open up legislative conference committee hearings to the public.
• Web cast all House, Senate and interim legislative activities, including committee meetings.