The Grinch lives. Governor Susana Martinez is steadfastly against raising taxes. She is even holding several state entities – including the Legislature – hostage to prove it. A most notable exception is reinstating the gross receipts tax on food.
We have not had a tax on food for several years. Then our carpetbagger governor decided that we needed big tax cuts on corporations, to attract business to the state. She tried and failed to reinstate a food tax to compensate for it. Maybe we could rescind the largely unsuccessful corporate tax cuts?
Now she says that the only way to balance the budget is to restore the gross receipts tax on food. Never mind that she strongly opposes increased taxes on such things as alcohol and tobacco because it would be “on the backs of New Mexico families.” Apparently they can get by with less food, but they desperately need their cigarettes and booze. We are second in the nation in childhood hunger. Is she shooting for number one?
Please ask your legislators to resist the Governor’s ruinous budget proposals. She has one foot out the door, and with the other one she is delivering a kick in the butt to all of us.
I also suggest that we celebrate opening day of the Legislative Special Session by standing outside the Roundhouse blowing duck calls, to remind everyone of just how irrelevant Governor Martinez is.
Adele E. Zimmermann
Embudo