Special Session- Tax Increasing Disaster, Scary

For Immediate Release Monday, March 01, 2010 Contact: 505-986-4702 Special Session: “Tax Increasing Disaster” “Scary Picture” for NM “Complicated Shell Game” Santa Fe- One Republican State Senator is calling the special session of the State Legislature that began today a “tax increasing disaster” while the Republican Senate Caucus Chair said it is setting up “a scary picture” for all New Mexicans and that Republicans were not included in the process leading up to the special session that is creating a “complicated shell game” to confuse tax payers. “It is a pretty scary picture, a pretty scary situation and a dire situation,” Senate Minority Caucus Chair Dianna J. Duran said. “We need to talk about cutting spending and not only increasing taxes. We have a lot to discuss and I am very concerned that these tax increase proposals are going to be pushed through the legislature without input from the public who will be affected by these tax increases. The Republicans have been left out of the process that developed these tax cutting bills and I fear these tax increases will pass before the public is even aware of what is happening up here.” According to the Senate Majority Leader, the special session that began this afternoon to produce a balance budget for fiscal year 2011could be over tomorrow night. State Senator John Ryan of Albuquerque said. “Oh boy, it is a disaster in my opinion. The deals that are being talked about are going in the wrong direction. I would much prefer that we talk about taking a major chunk out of state government’s budget that has increased over 51% in the past six or seven years that increases taxes.” The proclamation issued by Governor Bill Richardson includes, among other items: increasing the gross receipts tax; increasing compensating taxes; increasing the cigarette tax; and language to allow the repeal of the food tax deduction. ###