Commentary: Santa Fe – American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President, Stephanie Ly, released the following statement:
“New Mexico lawmakers, under the leadership of Speaker Brian Egolf, Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton, and House Appropriations Chair Patricia Lundstrom, passed a budget which not only increases funding for New Mexico’s public schools and helps protect workers, but also tackled the long overdue issue of closing tax loopholes and finding new ways to raise revenue for our State.
“In this critical time, New Mexico’s schools and its citizens need courageous leadership to solve these budgetary shortfalls, and we believe the New Mexico House created a budget which prioritizes New Mexico values of education, safety, and health. Our State cannot afford to weather any additional cuts – our belts cannot be tightened any further.
“In the coming days, as these bills are heard in the New Mexico Senate, it will be critical for New Mexicans to keep pressure on Governor Martinez to do the right thing and sign into law both the budget and accompanying legislation which will begin to bring new revenues into our State accounts. Our students, schools, colleges and universities, and communities deserve nothing less, and it would be irresponsible for Governor Martinez to veto this legislation, as she has already threatened to do. New Mexico’s education community, again, wants to extends its thanks to House leadership for its principled stand on the right side of this issue.”