SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - Their priorities aren’t much different - lift New Mexico from the bottom of the nation’s education rankings, keep the state’s children safe and find a way to boost economic development and job creation.
The best route for accomplishing those goals is what Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and the state Legislature will be hashing out when the 60-day session begins Tuesday.
Efforts to stop the state from issuing driver’s licenses to immigrants in the country illegally and right-to-work legislation are also expected to pepper the debate since the session isn’t limited to just the budget and taxes.
Martinez and lawmakers also will be wading into an unfamiliar political landscape this year. Despite reassurances of bipartisanship from both sides of the aisle, the dynamics in the Roundhouse will be different this year since Republicans now hold the majority in the House of Representatives, something the state hasn’t seen in 60 years.
Incoming New Mexico House Speaker Don Tripp, R-Socorro, said he looked forward to working with Democrats, who still control the Senate, on ideas to push economic development and creating an environment to attract more businesses.
Some are speculating the GOP-led House will be a rubber stamp for the governor’s initiatives, but Rep. Larry Larranaga, an Albuquerque Republican and member of the powerful Legislative Finance Committee, said not much is going to change.
“We know what the numbers are. We know what the issues are. We know what the needs are. It’s not new,” he said during a recent budget news conference. “Just because the Republicans have taken over the House, that’s not like saying this state is going to be turned upside down.”
By controlling the House, Republicans will be able to advance measures that have been blocked for years by Democrats. Still, the Senate could pose a roadblock.
“On the Senate side, we’ve debated and we’ve brought out the issues, and I see the same thing happening this year,” said Sen. Howie Morales, D-Silver City. “There are things we’re not going to agree on, but that’s just part of the process.”
Morales is among the lawmakers who have acknowledged heading into the session that priorities will have to be set given that oil prices are continuing to fall, slashing the amount of new money the Legislature and governor will have to work with as they craft the state budget for the next year.
Both the Legislature and Martinez have proposed spending plans of nearly $6.3 billion, a slight increase over last year, with the largest chunk going toward education.
Under the governor’s plan, more than $2.7 billion in recurring general funds would be spent on education.
Martinez has proposed putting more money toward expansion of the school year for kindergarten through third-grade students as part of an effort to close the achievement gap in literacy and math. More than $11 million would go toward raising the starting salary for new teachers by $2,000 and creating a classroom supply fund for teachers and mentorship programs to improve low-performing schools.
Martinez’s plan to end social promotion in New Mexico schools still faces opposition from Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, who says student retention should be based on teachers’ assessments, not reading test scores.
Lawmakers also expect to debate the finer points of funding education, with some targeting the governor’s efforts to funnel money to specific overhauls rather than to school districts through a funding formula.
Numerous bills aimed at preventing child abuse and bolstering social services for families have also been introduced.
Democrats will again propose increases in the state’s minimum wage, and Republicans plan to push to make New Mexico a right-to-work state, which would bar private- and public-sector workers from being required to join unions as a condition for employment.
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