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New Mexico Wants Real Shared Sacrifice

Michelle Kavanaugh – Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Here in New Mexico, our legislative session has just begun. Governor Susana Martinez gave her “State of the State” address touting her accomplishments during the last year: selling the corporate jet, firing the chefs at the Governor’s mansion and getting rid of “non-essential government vehicles.” These accomplishments were under the guise of “shared sacrifice” during this time of economic hardship, however, these are only first steps – there is much more to be done now that New Mexico’s legislature has convened.

New Mexico’s poverty level is 18 percent. What is 18 percent, you ask? That’s over 400,000 New Mexicans are living under the poverty line. Even worse, 1 in 4 of New Mexico’s children now live in poverty.

Those are startling numbers, but they’re numbers reflected in the faces Working America canvassers and organizers see every day.  Often our members are forced to decide between paying for necessary medication or food, paying the electric bill or the rent, paying for gas to get to work or replacing their child’s worn-out shoes.

New Mexicans are indeed, “sharing the sacrifice,” so you can imagine the frustration many New Mexicans feel when they see corporations doing business in in our state that are not sharing that sacrifice in the slightest. Currently, most corporations in New Mexico do not pay state taxes and these corporate tax loopholes have drained millions of dollars of the state.

Senator Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) has introduced Senate Bill 9 which would close that corporate tax loophole. The bill lowers the tax rate for all New Mexico businesses and increases revenue by fairly taxing the five hundred corporations currently not paying their fair share.

If Governor Martinez and the New Mexico Legislature truly feel that we all must share the sacrifice, then they must take action now. This additional revenue into the state would allow for infrastructure projects that would create quality jobs for those unemployed New Mexicans who have shouldered so much of the burden during these unstable economic times.

Our political leaders must hear from us on this important issue. They need to know that giving up the corporate jet just isn’t enough.

1-888-717-0911 connects to the New Mexico State Capitol Switchboard. Tell your Senator and Representative to support Senator Wirth’s Senate Bill 9.

 

Tags: Corporate Accountability, Jobs, New Mexico

Working America Members Embody the Spirit of the Holiday Season

by Michelle Kavanaugh – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Another holiday season is upon us. Along with turkeys and mashed potatoes, cranberries and stuffing, football games and falling leaves, there’s another side to the season – one that most people are very lucky not to experience. Unemployment.

For families whose heads of household are unemployed, it can be a stressful and depressing time. Sometimes they can’t afford to feed their families on a regular basis, let alone a large Thanksgiving meal.

That’s why it is so amazing when we see people in this very situation reaching out to and helping other families in need.  Our Working America members are a beacon of hope in these difficult times. No matter how much they are struggling, they are always open to helping each other: whether it is going down to the unemployment office together to lend a helping hand, donating clothes, or putting together complete Thanksgiving dinners, the compassion for each other is inspiring.

One such Working America member, Cynthia Hutchinson, is a perfect example. “Every year we collect donations from local businesses and pool them together. We buy fixings for Thanksgiving dinners and our office staff puts them together.” Cynthia, who is a chaplain for Sol Amor Hospice, gathered names of Working America members and through donations collected by her employer, provided Thanksgiving dinner for ten needy Working America families.  “It’s a great feeling to know that we are helping make the holidays a little happier for so many deserving families.”

Part of what we try to build through our members is a sense of community; not just through collectively advocating for political change, but also the simple idea that we are not alone, and that the misfortune of one family affects all of us. We thank our members for their courage, resilience, and their incredible generosity during a time when economic suffering is so deeply widespread.

Tags: Albuquerque, New Mexico