New Mexico lawmakers to discuss tax rebates during special session Tuesday

SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico lawmakers are heading back to the Roundhouse this week to discuss how to put more money back in your pocket.

Lawmakers released their agenda Monday, and they’re planning to discuss a special tax rebate offering a couple of hundred dollars to most New Mexicans.

The tax rebate they plan to vote on Tuesday is in addition to the $250 most New Mexicans are expecting this July.

"Too many New Mexicans are having to make a choice between putting groceries on the table and paying for a full tank of gas to take their kid to little league practice, to take their kid to the doctor’s office," said state Rep. Javier Martinez.

Lawmakers plan for two payments of $250 per taxpayer, that means $500 total, with families and couples getting $1,000. New Mexicans will get it regardless of how much they make, and the payments will arrive automatically this Spring and again this Fall.

Republicans who generally favor the plan say the timing of one payment before both the primary and general elections is pure politics.

"I think New Mexicans are smarter than that and I don’t think it’ll work, but you can’t tell me May and late October is coincidental," said state Rep. Jim Townsend.

But Democrats say splitting up the payments lets them space $250 windfalls for taxpayers in Spring, Summer, and Fall. Plus, it spreads the cost to the state over two different fiscal years.

The other reason lawmakers convened, is Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed the $50 million dollar pet project bill. She criticized a lot of the spending, saying it wasn’t smartly targeted, and it wasn’t transparent enough. KOB 4 was told the projects are the same.