The Senate Finance Committee (SFC) has finished the budget that they'll send to the Senate floor. Not surprisingly, since conservative Democrats and Republicans dominate that committee, they've decided to add to the $700 million in cuts and raise very little revenue, balancing the budget on the backs of public employees.
The SFC proposal is going to cost state, educational, and university employees an additional 2.64% pay cut. That's on top of the 1.5% pay cut we're already facing and 2% cuts from furloughs. The SFC even took out the Senate Public Affairs Committee amendment to lessen the blow to lower- and middle-income workers. Additionally, the SFC is cutting most state agencies by millions of dollars. That's over three weeks of pay gone for tens of thousands of New Mexicans, plus more agency cuts.
We all knew that the good news out of the House was going to be countered by terrible news out of the Senate. The battle isn't over. Now we're going to have to focus on swing votes on the Senate floor. We need to strengthen Democrats who are on our side, but who so far haven't pushed through real revenues to balance out cuts.
Public employees have already sacrificed. It's time for the richest who got a 40% tax break and tax-dodging corporations to share in the sacrifice, too.
Ask these 12 senators to stand up for public services by voting NO to any additional cuts to public employees by voting NO on House Bill 2.
Pete Campos (Las Vegas--Guadalupe, Mora, San Miguel, Santa Fe & Torrance Counties) 986-4311 petecampos@newmexico.com
Carlos Cisneros (Questa--Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe & Taos Counties) 986-4365 carlos.cisneros@nmlegis.gov
Tim Eichenberg (Albuquerque--Bernalillo County) 986-4859 tim.eichenberg@nmlegis.gov
Mary Jane Garcia (Dona Ana--Dona Ana County) 986-4726 maryjane.garcia@nmlegis.gov
Phil Griego (San Jose--Los Alamos, Mora, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe & Taos Counties) 986-4861 senatorgriego@yahoo.com
Richard Martinez (Espanola--Los Alamos, Rio Arriba & Santa Fe Counties) 986-4389 richard.martinez@nmlegis.gov
George Munoz (Gallup--Cibola & McKinley Counties) 986-4387 munozgeo@gmail.com
Mary Kay Papen (Las Cruces--Dona Ana County) 986-4270 marykay.papen@nmlegis.gov
Bernadette Sanchez (Albuquerque--Bernalillo County) 986-4267 senb26@yahoo.com
Michael Sanchez (Belen--Valencia County) 986-4727 senatormssanchez@aol.com
John Sapien (Corrales--Sandoval County) 986-4371 john.sapien@nmlegis.gov
David Ulibarri (Grants--Cibola, Socorro & Valencia Counties) 986-4265 david.ulibarri@nmlegis.gov
