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Updated October 19th, 2019 at 17:59 IST

New Mexico governor probes for tax inequities

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is seeking advice on how to make the state’s tax system more fair and efficient. The first-year Democratic governor on Friday announced the appointment of a new committee to evaluate New Mexico’s tax code.

New Mexico governor probes for tax inequities
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Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is seeking advice on how to make the state’s tax system more fair and efficient. The first-year Democratic governor on Friday announced the appointment of a new committee to evaluate New Mexico’s tax code. A second appointed committee will examine tax enforcement and auditing by the state.

New Mexico’s corporate income tax rate was lowered to 5.9% under Lujan Grisham’s Republican predecessor. Reforms this year increased tax rates on vehicle sales, nonprofit hospitals and personal income for top earners. Lujan Grisham says this year’s changes chipped away at some inequities and that more reforms may be needed. State government spending relies heavily on gross receipts taxes on sales and business transactions. Critics of the system says it is rife with exemptions and loopholes.

The SAT will become New Mexico’s official statewide standardized test for high school juniors this spring, a state official said Friday.

All juniors will be required to take the SAT — an exam administered by the non-profit organization College Board.

Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said the exam is aligned with the state’s academic standards, and all New Mexico colleges and universities accept it.

“In administering the SAT, we are paying for students’ college entrance exams for the first time ever, effectively removing one major barrier to college entrance for thousands of New Mexico students,” Stewart said in a statement.

The move came after a task force convened by New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said any new assessment should have meaning beyond high school.

Lujan Grisham called for the task force after announcing days into her term that her administration was scrapping student assessments developed by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.

The state Public Education Department is expected next week to announce new statewide standardized exams for students in grades 3 to 8. The agency also will unveil new tests for other high school students.

In July, the state released results that showed around 80% of students weren’t proficient in math and 67% weren’t proficient in reading. The results were from a “transition test” administered in the spring.

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Published October 19th, 2019 at 17:38 IST

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