Commentary: Today, the Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) released the following statement after Governor Martinez’s Secretary of Economic Development, Jon Barela left his post for a job in the Texas private sector.
“Governor Martinez’s economic agenda has failed New Mexico. From spending the first five years of her time in office ignoring the economy, and then turning around and giving huge tax breaks to corporations while our children fall to the bottom of child wellbeing lists, it’s clear that Governor Martinez’s administration has the wrong priorities, and Jon Barela is leaving his post at a time when the consequences of poor leadership are surfacing,” said Debra Haaland, Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico.
Under Governor Martinez, New Mexico ranks 49th for child well-being, and 50th for education according to the Annie E. Casey Kids County Data Report. And another report put New Mexico second to last for full time job seekers finding employment, and recently, New Mexico’s unemployment rate was 6.4 percent, well above the national rate which is 4.9 percent.
As New Mexico continues to face a severe budget shortfall, Governor Martinez has refused to address the problem. With a total deficit $223 million in FY2016 and an estimated shortfall of $431 million for FY2017, it’s clear the Governor Martinez’s economic agenda that harms New Mexico families and worsens the state’s economic outlook.