ALBUQUERQUE – Deep political divisions over responses to the coronavirus pandemic were surpassed Thursday when Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham told a Congressional committee that New Mexico wants more federal assistance for recovery. in an effort to revive the economy.
The Democratic governor described in a video convention to the House Financial Services Committee how heads of state were grappling with nearby budget turmoil and under pressure the desire for the federal government to achieve some economic recovery and fight the spread. of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats spoiled a reduced bailout plan for the goP coronavirus on Thursday, saying the move eliminated too many urgent wishes as the pandemic continued its attack on the country. the parties say they need but can’t comply.
“States like mine that have taken challenging and proactive steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 will need to be able to use federal aid to update and compensate for lost revenue or make drastic and complicated cuts in essential services,” Lujan said. Grisham. ” Our effective and important reaction to the pandemic cannot be left as a wheel around the necks of New Mexico’s workers, families, local governments and small business owners. “
He said the state had spent $139 million on public fitness efforts, such as testing and protective equipment, while allocating $750 million in the federal aid budget to important services. He warned that the government was still “unfortunately un prepared” financially to help small businesses suffering from loan and rental obligations.
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The state’s top Republicans are pushing to give citizens more discretion to restart business and open public schools, as the state’s Republican Party has begun organizing massive open political demonstrations for a public fitness order that demands masks and limits meetings to 10 people.
“I think it’s time to start putting the other Americans back in the paintings and start moving forward and backward in Trump’s economy,” Congressional Nominee Michelle Garcia Holmes said at a rally Wednesday at President Donald Trump in the South Valley. Albuquerque. ” Our young people deserve an education and deserve to be with their peers. I think we can bring our young people back to school in a safe and methodical way.
Garcia Holmes, a former police detective challenging first-year Democratic Rep. Debra Haaland, has the Republican Party’s $ 500 billion COVID-19 rescue program.
Democrats said the bill was too small and omitted vital priorities, adding a lot of dollar bills for state and local governments, more unemployment benefits and assistance for tenants and landlords, as well as other $3. 5 trillion relief provisions for House Democrats. Bill passed in May.
At Wednesday’s rally, a small number of people wearing a mask as more than a hundred people amassed appearance-to-look in a Trump crusade to pay attention to speeches through Republican nominee Steve Pearce and anti-abortion activist Elisa Martinez.
Democratic Party President Marg Elliston called it irresponsible and damaging to organize such occasions to encourage masking and social estprovation.
Trump faces state repression and local officials are concerned that his demonstrations are gaining momentum and meeting public aptitude guidelines.
New Mexico’s fitness officials reported 161 more cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the state total to 26,429 since the start of the pandemic.
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New Mexico forecasts a general fund deficit of approximately $1 billion for the next fiscal year, as of June 30, 2021, to meet its annual spending obligations of $7. 2 billion. Without further federal support, this would deplete the monetary reserves accumulated over the period. beyond age 3.
At the same time, government revenue from sales and taxes was strangely resilient after the federal government brought more stimulus controls and unemployment benefits in reaction to the coronavirus crisis.
The Legislature’s Budget Office reported that gross tax revenue exceeded expectations through $225 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, amid an increase in the completion of online retail.
To meet current year’s spending obligations, lawmakers agreed to spend about $700 million on government monetary reserves.