Study: NM Children "Least Likely to Succeed"
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
New Mexico kids are the least likely to succeed, according to a recent study from the non-profit Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. Rodrigo Rodriguez with the Southwest Organizing Project claims the report shows that tax breaks for wealthy New Mexicans and large corporations come at the expense of education and health care for children.
"This is a failing report card for top-down economic policies for the last twenty years that have prioritized tax breaks and profits for some of the richest corporations and richest New Mexicans over the future of our children."
The state legislature convenes for a month-long session today at noon, and Rodriguez says lawmakers have an opportunity to turn things around for New Mexico's children.
"This report is telling us what we need to do. We have a choice and an opportunity to invest in our children through education, health care and raising wages for every New Mexican."
He adds that state lawmakers should address the ranking this month by increasing the minimum wage, providing health care for all New Mexicans and implementing real campaign finance reform so legislators aren't beholden to campaign donors looking for tax breaks.
The report is online at www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2007/01/04/index.html.
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