Proposals are expected to surface in the next legislative session to cut or even eliminate state income taxes for households earning less than $40,000 or thereabouts. Recent guest columnist Mitchell Freedman also recently broached the topic of providing a Universal Basic Income (UBI) for New Mexicans. (Some pros and cons here.) Reader Ken Tabish responds:

Joe, there was mention about the state taking the Alaska approach in using oil and gas revenue revenues to provide a Universal Basic Income for New Mexicans. I am all for this in lieu of more tax cuts or even a cost of living credit due to our energy largess. My recommendation is to tie the UBI to families with children, rather than a straight payout to people over 18 and making under $40k. 

During the pandemic we saw how direct payments to families with children from the Feds had a direct impact on reducing the rate of child poverty in the country and New Mexico as a whole. Although costly, this proved valuable in assisting low income families with children in meeting high costs. Can we as a state with massive surpluses do something directly to improve the quality of life for our most vulnerable citizens? I say yes.

TOO MANY SCHOOLS

The expense account scandal that has engulfed Western New Mexico University President Joe Shephard and reported on here recently draws the attention of reader Alan Schwartz:

Coincidentally the current issue of New Mexico Business First has the "List" for New Mexico Colleges and Universities. Missing from the list, WNMU. Why? I can only conclude they did not respond to the inquiry. As for the WNMU Regents, if they are not concerned about the university's anemic graduation rates why should they be expected to question the expenses of their president? The highest WNMU graduation rate I found was 36.2% with other sources citing lower numbers and six year graduation rates in single digits. 

Being from California, where the university and state university systems have 10 and 23 campuses respectively with graduation rates of 92.3% (UC) and 82.5% (CSU), I never understood this proliferation of autonomous regional colleges. I'm thinking you have addressed this in the past. 

Thanks, Alan. Over the years we have indeed covered the problem of the state having too many higher educational institutions. It's been discussed since all the schools were permanently established by the state constitution at statehood in 1912. Here is the passage mandating them:

The university of New Mexico, at Albuquerque; the New Mexico state university, near Las Cruces, formerly known as New Mexico college of agriculture and mechanic arts; the New Mexico highlands university, at Las Vegas, formerly known as New Mexico normal university; the western New Mexico university, at Silver City, formerly known as New Mexico western college and New Mexico normal school; the eastern New Mexico university, at Portales, formerly known as eastern New Mexico normal school; the New Mexico institute of mining and technology, at Socorro, formerly known as New Mexico school of mines; the New Mexico military institute, at Roswell, formerly known as New Mexico military institute; the New Mexico school for the blind and visually impaired, at Alamogordo, formerly known as New Mexico school for the visually handicapped; the New Mexico school for the deaf, at Santa Fe, formerly known as New Mexico asylum for the deaf and dumb; the northern New Mexico state school, at El Rito, formerly known as Spanish-American school; are hereby confirmed as state educational institutions.

VETS BREAK UNFAIR?

Finally today, a subject we raised on the radio during our Election Night coverage--those two constitutional amendments providing more tax breaks for veterans and that were approved by large majorities. We go back to attorney Mitchell Freedman:

I am concerned with the two amendments that will essentially negate property taxes for mostly well-off veterans who own their homes. The amendments do nothing for vets who rent and especially nothing for vets who have home insecurity or outright homeless. The effect of these two amendments will be to significantly lessen property tax revenue, which often funds public schools. Multiple assessors and treasurers have said the rest of us may have to pay more property taxes to maintain current revenue flows. 

One solution may be to create a progressive tier of property taxes so that homeowners with smaller or relatively small homes, based upon square footage, should pay less than those with mansions. Property taxes are flat or regressive taxes, not progressive taxes, and more akin to a sales tax which is also regressive. 

I totally get we should want to honor our vets. However, I do not think these constitutional amendments honor anyone. The amendments create a favoritism unfair to so many including vets who are not as fortunate to own a home.

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