What's going on, Albuquerque?

Drivers Licenses to Illegals More Important then the NM Economy

It just seems to me that the Guv is more interested in repealing the law allowing illegal immigrants to obtain a drivers license then in promoting an economic recovery in the state. I am aware that she campaigned on this issue, but you would think the economy would take center stage at the roundhouse. As a follower of NM politics, it surely hasn't. The best the Guv has done was to promise not to raise taxes(and I am not sure if this is a good thing). I also dont see the Dems as doing much either. They dont seem to have put forth any new economic recovery or job plan themselves. They just seem to be waiting the session out hoping the Guv will not get what she wants.

Well, she didn't get what she wanted when it came to repealing the drivers license law to illegal immigrants. Thanks to the vote in the Senate last night, illegal immigrants did not lose this privilege. The new bill places more restrictions and penalties on the receiving and administering of licenses. Unfortunately, this is not good enough for the Guv and fellow Republicos and she has threatened to continue her fight for its repeal, in lieu of bolstering our sluggish economy.

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Permalink Reply by once banned twice shy on March 10, 2011 at 9:34am

K: I'm going to let you in on a little secret: Republicans really don't care about the economy, balancing the budget or any or that. Otherwise, they wouldn't propose tax cuts and subsidies to corporations. As for Susana? Well, she's just bolstering her image so she can continue being groomed by the GOP for national office. She's the RNC's little puppet. Delightful.

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Permalink Reply by K on March 10, 2011 at 10:27am

Oh, how naive could I be that I would think that the Republicos really care about the economy!!!! And . . . I totally agree that Guv Susana is looking to the next level of her political life, ie, the national scene. Just playing politics with the marginalized and disenfranchised people in our society to get ahead. Thanks for straightening me out . . I needed that.

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Permalink Reply by Gonzalo Fuentes on March 10, 2011 at 9:46am

Here's another little secret. If you tax corporations, they will do a couple of things to compensate: cut jobs and add the tax increase to the price they charge the consumer. So tax away. Get back to me on how that works for you.

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Permalink Reply by Juan on March 10, 2011 at 10:06am

Haven't corporations been doing this already even without them having to pay their fair share of taxes? I'm all about corporations paying in state taxes, why let them do business in NM if they are the only ones who reap the benefits and the taxpayers in NM take the brunt of it.

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Permalink Reply by K on March 10, 2011 at 10:36am

Gonzalo, I got to go with Juan on this one. They corps get the breaks and reap the benefits at the hands of the everyday working people of NM. I usually refer to this as corporate welfare. I would say they are not paying their fair share when we put the burden of the struggling economy on the backs of small business owners, the poor and the middle class workers of this society. We need to sacrifice so that the corps and banks/wall street can recover and make their big profits. Lets cut penions, wages, jobs so that the corps can benefit in the long run.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Tichacek on March 11, 2011 at 11:58am

K... Perhaps you are confusing the terms 'corporate welfare' and 'tax breaks'... There is a difference - and the difference is significant! 'Corporate Welfare', or even Welfare infers a payment made to an individual, organization, or corporation - a payment made for any reason - be it to either induce or prevent behaviors, promote Societal Goals or Mores, or for Well Being of individuals.

A 'Tax Break' of course only manifests itself as monies not taken from individuals, organizations, or corporations which while they could have been, were deferred or waived because of a perception (real or imagined) that the source of those monies might not exist or might relocate if 'more' was taken.

Not the same by any reasoning... I cannot deduce that because the State could, should it choose, tax my income at 20% - but is only taxing at 10% that I am being 'subsidized' in an amount equal to 10% of my income. Likewise, a vacant parcel of land generating say $5,000 in taxes that could support say a manufacturing facility that could be taxed at $100,000 but is taxed at only $50,000 in order to attract it is still a NET INCREASE in revenue. Of course, one can look at it more than one way... You see a $50,000 DOWN; I see a $50,000 UP... Glass half empty, glass half full...

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Permalink Reply by Gonzalo Fuentes on March 10, 2011 at 11:28am

I'm not saying I agree with what corporations do regards to taxes. I'm just stating the reality and if you want to do battle with their lawyers and their unlimited resources, then you will simply dig a bigger hole for the State. Pick you battles. This one isn't worth fighting right now. Taking licenses away from illegals is worth the effort.

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Permalink Reply by Juan on March 10, 2011 at 1:57pm

My question is when is it worth fighting then? If we don't speak up now, this situation will only get worse. And I completely disagree, the taking away of licenses from undocumented (not illegal) citizens has only taken up time at the State Legislature pandering to politics that play with people's lives, instead of taking action on the budget and how to resolve that. Might I suggest making out of state corporations pay their fair share as one way to reduce the budget?

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Permalink Reply by K on March 10, 2011 at 4:28pm

Cant go with you on that one. Fighting for the repeal of this law is a waste of time and all politics by the Guv in my book. There has been very few issues with the issuing of licenses to illegals or the undocumented in NM and we have been doing it since 2003. It makes for safer roads, better insurance rates, and more people insured. It legitimizes people to drive to work, take their kids to school and go the store and malls. It is the right and humane thing to do and just makes sense. It separates us from the Arizona's of the country and am very proud for it. The repeal is based on immigration hysteria in this country and unjustified when we talk about the undocumented from Mexico living in our state.