Lawmakers debating various bills to address cost of living

SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico lawmakers are debating various bills to address the cost of living in New Mexico, with a focus on universal free child care and housing initiatives.

Child Care

A bill promising universal free child care for working families has passed the halfway mark, with nearly $100 million in extra funding allocated. Sen. George Muñoz, D-N.M., said, “If you’re paying $3000 a month in childcare, 1500 or 1000 per kid, and all of a sudden, we’re picking that up for you. I mean, that puts real money in your family planning.”

Despite this progress, concerns remain about limited daycare capacity in New Mexico.

Health Care

Last year, a record 84,000 New Mexicans enrolled in the state’s health insurance marketplace. The House has approved an additional $113 million to continue backfilling expired federal tax credits. Rep. Reena Sczcepanski, D-N.M., said, “New Mexicans this year who get their coverage through the exchange can breathe easy knowing that that assistance is there.”

Home Ownership

Efforts to make first-time homes more attainable are also underway. Rep. Cristina Parajón, D-N.M., said, “We just – we need homes. We need supply.” The state plans to spend $10 million to incentivize homebuilders to construct more “starter homes.”

Parajón explained, “They’re homes that are 1800 square feet or smaller, and they’re usually on a plot of land that’s 5000 meters or smaller.” The new program would offer zero-interest loans, making building and buying cheaper, with up to $50,000 available in most counties and up to $75,000 in Santa Fe, Taos, and Los Alamos counties.

Miles D. Conway, CEO of the New Mexico Homebuilders Association, said, “putting that money on the table. The builder knows it’s there, and it creates, takes projects from the drawing board to actually be real.” However, Conway acknowledged that New Mexico is still 32,000 homes short, saying, “we are not going to fix this problem this session, but we are on the path to taking New Mexico towards housing affordability.”