RPNM Response to Governor Lujan Grisham’s State of the State Address

SANTA FE, JANUARY 21- In response to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's State of the State address this afternoon, Republican Party of New Mexico Chair Amy Barela issued the following statement:

"While we acknowledge the governor's sentiment that New Mexicans deserve better, her same approach of throwing more money at the many issues in our state has not produced results. Over her 6-year tenure, the state budget has increased by approximately 73%, yet critical areas like education and child welfare remain last in the nation. We have yet to see substantial progress in The Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD).

"While the governor briefly acknowledged the record oil and gas revenues, she once again failed to thank the oil and gas industry for contributing nearly half of our state's budget while proposing legislation that threatens to eliminate this vital sector by 2050.

"She introduced the idea of a tax credit for businesses to combat crime, but she ignored the Paid Family Leave Act, which would force many small businesses to close or relocate out of state.

"We appreciate the governor's recognition of the crime crisis plaguing our cities. She mentioned some "common sense" policies like reforming the competency laws to keep repeat offenders behind bars, but what she didn't mention is that these are also Republican policies that Democrats have repeatedly killed year after year. We are hopeful that the governor and the progressive Democrats in the legislature will finally back these critical pieces of legislation this year.

"Immigration, a critical issue for New Mexico as a border state, was notably absent from her speech. New Mexico cannot continue to be a hub for those exploiting our open borders to bring crime and deadly drugs like fentanyl into our communities.

"We urge the Democrats in the legislature to prioritize the issues that matter to New Mexicans this year. The Republican Party of New Mexico remains committed keeping our citizens informed about their legislators' votes throughout this session."