Dear Editor,
The condition that New Mexico’s state budget is in is unfathomable to me. When it comes to finances, my entire life I have followed a simple rule: The amount of money that goes out, is always less than the amount of money that comes in. I am unemployed and my husband, who is self employed in the insurance industry, resolved very early in our marriage that we would never over-extend ourselves for indulgences and pay for them with money we did not have. It is shocking to see how many legislators are willing to do just that - allocate public funds for their pet projects and indulgences, even when there is not enough money to pay for them. Insult to injury, it is I and all of the other taxpayers who are responsible for the burden of debt they incur.
When this session began, New Mexico had a budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year of $200 million. In the last few weeks that number has increased to $310 million. During this time my Republican colleagues and I introduced bills that would institute responsible and necessary budget cuts. All of these bills were voted down, eliminating any chance of debate, testimony from witnesses, and other legislative action that is so important to the budget process. I repeatedly asked for information regarding Governor Richardson’s Exempt Employees list in order to see where we could make significant improvements in our deficit. Every tax dollar that is being spent to satisfy the salary of the exempt employee, is a dollar we could be using to shrink our budget.
Democrats have chosen to raise taxes as their solution to this enormous budget mess, even though taxes will only discourage job creation at a time when we need to do the opposite, and worsen the problem for New Mexico’s working families.
We have fewer than two weeks left to fix this problem. The choices that are made now can affect us here in New Mexico decades to come. I ask every person who is reading this letter to please contact as many Democrat legislators as you can to tell them to stop the wild spending and cut frivolous projects.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rep. Nora Espinosa, District 59
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