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Category: Politics: Enter at your own risk Politics: Enter at your own risk
Published: 26 July 2018 26 July 2018

Albuquerque ― Today, gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham released her plan to lift New Mexico families out of poverty and help them reach their long-term financial goals.

"Nearly one out of every five New Mexicans lives in poverty and that's absolutely unacceptable. To build a strong economy in New Mexico, it's crucial that we spur real job creation and economic development and invest in a new direction for public education so no families are left behind," said Michelle Lujan Grisham. "My plan will raise the minimum wage, protect families from predatory lenders, and renew the fight against hunger because our state is only strong if our families are succeeding instead of living paycheck-to-paycheck."

"I've spent my career working to help New Mexico children reach their full potential because I've seen firsthand how intergenerational poverty in my district, southern New Mexico, and across the entire state limits families' ability to succeed," said Howie Morales. "Our plan will help give New Mexicans the tools they need to ensure economic security for themselves and their loved ones, helping them to build a stronger New Mexico for generations to come."

The main points of the Michelle and Howie's plan include:

  1. Immediately raising the minimum wage from $7.50 to $10 per hour statewide, increasing it to $12 within four years, and then indexing it to inflation. The state's current minimum wage - $7.50 per hour - has not been raised since 2009 and one out of every ten children in New Mexico lives in a minimum wage household.
  2. Increasing the New Mexico Working Families Tax Credit. Michelle will expand the WFTC and help lift even more New Mexican families out of poverty by putting more money in working families' pockets.
  3. Enabling families to build wealth. By expanding Child Savings Accounts and Individual Development Accounts, innovative programs that utilize networks of families and friends who work together to improve their finances, housing, careers, and education, Michelle will help families achieve their long-term financial goals.
  4. Protecting vulnerable families from predatory lenders. Predatory lending keeps New Mexico's needy families locked in a downward spiral of debt. Michelle will further strengthen consumer protections, prohibit unconscionable interest rates, and crack down on the predatory behavior of certain lenders.
  5. Creating a clear ladder out of poverty. Low-income working families are often disincentivized to take promotions and increased pay at work because as they earn more, they lose benefits immediately. This is known as the "cliff effect." This drop means that families may no longer qualify for any Child Care Assistance or other benefits but still do not earn enough to pay for child care. In fact, a $200 annual increase in pay could cost a family an additional $600 in child care costs per month. Michelle will end this "cliff effect" so that child care and other assistance payments are gradually reduced as the recipients' income grows over time.
  6. Renewing the fight against hunger. Every $5 in new SNAP benefits-better known as food stamps- generates up to $9 in economic activity. 58% of people who use SNAP are working and rely on these benefits for their families' economic security.
  7. Increase access to Affordable Family Planning Services. Of all the barriers to access to affordable healthcare, family planning services play a disproportionate role in women's educational and economic opportunities. Michelle will fight all restrictions the Trump Administration is seeking to impose on family planning services and providers, and she will increase access to the family planning and other basic health services these providers offer to low-income men and women.