P. M. Eastern on American History tv on cspan3. A look at the new mexico state of the state address given by governor sue sa in, suzanne martinez. Lieutenant government. Senate pro tem. Our house speaker, democratic and Republican Leaders esteemed members of the new mexico legislature. Former new mexico governors, distinguished guests the states first gentleman. My husband. [ applause ] and my beautiful sister. [ applause ] and my fellow new mexicans. Over the last six years republicans and democrats have chosen to make tough decisions. Weve resisted taking the easy way out. We resisted pursuing the false promise of quick if i cafixes a good gimmicks, we bet on new mexicos future and thats why weve pursued reforms we know are best in the long run, even though we may take political hits in the short term. Were seeing tens of thousands of new private sector jobs, Companies Like facebook and fedex choosing new mexico and our Graduation Rate is now at a record high. [ applause ] weve done this in a bipartisan manner, all in the face of extraordinary challenges. The largest structural deficit in state history. A federal government shut down. But je budget cuts that hit new mexico harder than any other states and now we face the steepest drop in oil and gas prices ever. While these challenges are outside our control, we can control how we respond. Some want to use these as an excuse to take the easy way out or devolve into partisan fighting but were better than that. We are. Weve met challenges before in a bipartisan manner. And we can do it again. But it will take courage. One year ago i warned about the impacts of lost oil and gas revenue, and today were feeling the affects, which is why last year i ordered executive agencies to reduce spending and called lawmakers into a special session. Unfortunately, during that special session, we didnt go far enough. We know we can all do better than that. Because we have in the past. Pension reform. Tax reform. Unemployment. Insurance reform. Centennial care to protect health care for the most vulnerable. These werent wins for the governor or legislature. For republicans or democrats. These were big wins for new mexicans and we can do it again. [ applause ] we face another challenge and must once again make the tough decisions. We all know the cause of the crisis and have been at the mercy of the government of an unpredictable market. We are proud of our labs and production, but have been among the top five most dependent states on the federal government. Oil and gas revenues make up a third of our budget. Its been this way for decades upon decades and we wont change it overnight, but we must continue diversifying our economy and restraining the size of government. When sequestration hit we were too reline on Government Spending and now were seeing it with oil and gas. Oil prices dropped 71 . That hit us hard. In our highest Energy Producing counties, gross receipts tax reven revenue plummeted at the same time grt rose in every other county. Despite the losses we added 30,000 private sector jobs as a direct result of choosing reforms. Jobs in manufacturing, hightech, finance, tourism, make no mistake and it, we are diversifying our economy and laying a Strong Foundation for private sector growth. [ applause ] and we are weathering a storm far better than other oil and gas states. Thats because we built strong responsible budgets that did not grow government. And we held reserves over 10 were our reserves. When we fall on hard times, government should not expect a tax payer funded bailout. [ applause ] instead its on us to Work Together and find solutions. Lets make new mexicans proud just as we have done before in how we spend their hardearned money. When we put Political Parties aside we get a lot done. Like our tax reforms, which closed loopholes an lowered the tax rates. We came together for a comprehensive jobs package and created the states first real fund to help closing fund that helps us close the businesses and bring them to new mexico making sure that our own businesses that are here will grow. We had a huge disagreement over the unemployment system, but we came together and made sweeping reforms. To give businesses more transparency and predictability. We passed pension reform, protected retirement for state employees and resolved a 12 billion short fall. We funded bold education reform. Passed stricted give judges the entire criminal history of offenders, protected victims of Sexual Assault with rachels law and ended the dangerous practice of giving drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. [ applause ] we can address challenges while protecting the progress weve made. Lets not take the easy way out. There is a way forward without raising taxes on hard working new mexicans. In my proposal, weve identified funds in idle accounts that can be swept. We can modernize the tax code and eliminate loopholes, make government smaller and more efficient and it takes us back to responsible reserve levels of 5 . If we dont take the easy way out now, it will pay off for decades. Were rebuilding the foundation for Economic Growth and its working. Weve trained over 8,000 workers through the job training incentive program, also known as jtip. We have added over 7,000 jobs and brought billions of investment with over 40 of those projects in rural new mexico. For every Million Dollars we spend, private businesses invest 16 million. When you take into account the construction, wages, taxes and other Economic Activity around new businesses, every dollar we spend brings back 20 and 30 times that. [ applause ] now is not the time to gut those reforms. Not at a time when we are diversifying our economy. Were seeing Homegrown Companies expand like wildflowers. Idiom, scorpios. Were bringing in amazing new companies too like safelite, pcm ketter and, yes, facebook. [ applause ] facebook was a year in the making. It started with a trip to california to tell new mexicos story and ended with a Massive Data Center that will bring thousands of construction jobs. 50 highpaying jobs and 1. 5 billion in private investment, with a potential of multiple phases creating more jobs and more investment. This project will generate billions in Economic Activity for our state and we have more to announce very shortly. So stay tuned. Im so proud to be joined today by executives from companies that call new mexico home. Like Barbara Baldwin of dean baldwin aircraft painting. [ applause ] barbara and her husband, larry, took over the Miami Company in 1978. Larry ran the paint crews and barbara did the books. In 1999 they expanded to roswell where they now employ 130 people. Last week i joined them to celebrate the expansion of 70 new employees. Leta is paying off for roswell and helping barbara grow her business. Thank you barbara, and much success in all that you do. [ applause ] clay bush from valley cold storage. [ applause ] he was moving where development is booming and businesses are taking advantage of our border, where they are taking state investments has resulted in one of the countrys largest inland ports. Valley cold storage recently broke ground on a massive facility. 14 million of investment. Clay, thank you for your investment in new mexico and much success to you. [ applause ] zach dago is the president of precheck. Thank you for coming. [ applause ] this was a company that moved to new mexico from texas. They found two things when they got here. A great workforce and programs that help them grow from seven employees to 188 employees. Their annual payroll grew from zero to 5. 2 million. They have invested 9. 7 million into new mexico. Leta, jtip and our tax reforms, these programs are why precheck is still here. Thank you and so much success to you. [ applause ] you see, whether companies are expanding or relocating here, the word is out. New mexico is open for business. [ applause ] i talked to ceos choosing new mexico who tell me they could have gone anywhere in the country, but they chose new mexico. Great people, fair tax environment, a state willing to put its money where its mouth is. They see a state bursting with opportunity. Thats why we must solve our budget challenges in a responsible way. You see, we have two choices. Do what politicians have done for decades, grow government and raise taxes when times are tough, or we can be leaders and protect taxpayers, reduce the size of government and continue to build the foundation of a lasting vibrant economy. Right sizing government means reducing the size of government and developing efficiencies. Five years ago, i urged this body to act on its own recommendation to consolidate six executive agencies into three. Those measures failed, but i am urging you, take another look. We have nearly twice as many agencies as the federal government. Whats wrong with that picture . If we consolidate, well save tens of millions of dollars every year. It just makes sense. Lets also take a look at another of our tax systems. Close loopholes, make it work better for new mexicans, get rid of regulations that get in the way of growth. If we solve our budget with an eye to the future, we can avoid mass layoffs, furloughs and tax hikes. Making government more efficient isnt just about cutting. Its making it more accountable. Through transparency, better decisions are made. New mexicans want to be engaged. They want to know what is going on here. Thats why its time for all legislative committees to web cast and archive their meetings for all new mexicans to see from wherever they may be. A legislator should disclose their clients. New mexicans deserve to know if elected officials are making decisions on behalf of voters or on behalf of undisclosed clients. [ applause ] and lets bring Greater Transparency and efficiency to the Capital Outlay process. Stop buying things like wrestling mats and picture frames and drinking fountains for pets. Lets invest in big projects like Water Infrastructure or our roads and highways. In san juan county, for example, lawmakers pulled their Capital Funds and made critical improvements to their wastewater system. In sandoval county, legislators have invested in transportation infrastructure. These projects will benefit communities for decades, create jobs and lay a foundation for Economic Growth. And while we invest in infrastructure, modernize our tax and regulatory environments and manage state funds. We cannot ignore the fact that education, the economy and fighting crime are all interconnected. [ applause ] if we ignore one, we ignore them all. It starts by protecting our children. It takes families, neighbors, friends, teachers and coaches, it takes governments, nonprofits and businesses. It takes all of us. Last year cyfd launched an initiative called pull together, an effort to make new mexico the best place to be a kid. I am so proud of the program and the work theyve done. Partners like the credit union and the Salvation Army have held School Supply drives. Ski new mexico provided free trips for foster families. Its not Just Companies lending a hand. Every day ordinary people are helping too. Like ashley of rio rancho school. [ applause ] shes a High School Student who is here with me today and she is rallying fellow students from across the state to fill overnight bags for foster kids. Children who may not have anything in the world, but now they have teddy bears, blankets, journals, comforts that every little child should have. Now these kids know that an entire state is behind them. Ashley, you are a leader and an example that we should all follow. To open our hearts and to help one another. [ applause ] through pull together, we established 16 hubs around the state run by Community Leaders to connect families in their neighborhoods with services. Cyfd services, medicaid, local, state and federal services, were connecting more families than ever before to the help they need. This isnt just about one agency. Its about an entire Community Coming together. Lets make new mexico the best place to be a kid. [ applause ] cyfds job doesnt end there. They are constantly working around the clock to keep our kids safe. We increased protective Services Funding by 25 million. Since 2010 we increased Early Childhood spending by 55. 5 million. 25,000 more kids are being served annually. Were investing more into home visiting, increasing it from 2. 2 million to 18. 7 million since 2011. Five times the number of families are being served since 2011 right here in new mexico. [ applause ] but we have to do more. We as leaders need to stand together with one message. We will not tolerate the abuse and murder of our children. [ applause ] the hardest days as governor are when a child is tragically killed. Children like lily, victoria, ashleigh. We all remember the beautiful, innocent faces. As we take up the business of the state, lets not forget them. We must crack down on crime, pass a meaningful three strikes bill that keeps violent repeat offenders off our streets. If you kill a child or a Law Enforcement officer or a corrections officer, you deserve the death penalty. [ applause ] if you intentionally abuse a child and that child dies, regardless of that childs age, you should never, ever get out of prison. [ applause ] we must increase we must increase penalties against those who prey on our children. These are serious issues and they deserve serious consideration. It should only be a felony to assault a cyfd field worker it should be a felony. The people on the front lines, they deserve the protection, at least the same protection that is currently given to soccer referees. Cyfd workers are hard workers and in the field and they deserve the protection of those referees, the same as they receive. We should expand katies law and allow the collection of dna evidence of people convicted of misdemeanors. This law helps track down the guilty and it also helps exonerate the innocent. New mexico should be the place where we can raise a family and feel safe. When we get in our cars, we shouldnt have to fear that the driver next to us is drunk. Its time to end dwi and it starts with tougher laws. [ applause ] the last few years weve had the lowest dwi death rate in decades, but thats not enough. We have to keep fighting. I am joined this year by jake and dolly solazar. [ applause ] they are here today because they will not stop fighting. Their son jacob was 19 years old, killed by a drunk driver. A bright handsome young man with his whole life in front of him. As dolly puts it, his life was lost senselessly. How much longer will we let this go on before we get tough on dwi . How many more families will have to endure this pain . The time is now. We must act. Dolly and jake, thank you for fighting to make our state better so that no family has to feel the pain that you do. [ applause ] [ applause ] we must keep moving toward making our streets and neighborhoods safe. Lets send a message we will not tolerate this in our state. Im asking once again for this body to crack down on dwi with common sense laws. No more excuses. Lets hold drunk drivers accountable. Lets give Police Officers the ability to conduct onsite blood tests. Lets allow past dwi offenses to be factored into sentencing habitual offenders. If you knowingly lend your car to someone who had their license suspended for a dwi, you too should be prosecuted. Lets increase the mandatory minimum and maximum sentences for individuals convicted of fourth and subsequent dwi offenses. If we make new mexico a safer place to live and raise on family, we can create a Better Future for all of our children. We help our children grow by continuing with education reform. All it takes is believing in a child that they can learn, that they can succeed. No matter a childs gender, ethnicity, economic circumstances or where they come from, we know they can learn. Were rolling back the failed policies of the past when we had low expectations. Now were unlocking the brilliant potential of our children. I am asking you to challenge our kids. I guarantee you they will amaze you. When you raise standards and challenge them, they respond. Thats why we implemented higher standards, to prepare our students for the real world. Just this year, an additional 12,000 kids reached grade level for reading and math. In every subject, more of our kids are achieving at grade level. We raised the bar for graduation, so that a diploma is more than just a piece of paper. It is a guarantee that our kids are ready. And yesterday, i was proud to announce that our Graduation Rates are up by 8 Percentage Points since 2011. The Graduation Rate is now the highest this state has ever seen. And that is after we raised graduation standards. [ cheers and applause ] you see, when we raise the bar, our kids rise to our expectations every time. We cannot be afraid to challenge them. Thats why weve invested more than ever before in advanced placement courses. To prepare our kids for college. Weve doubled the number of a. P. Courses offered. Now more students than ever are participating. Passing a. P. Exams and earning college credit. We are ranked second in the nation in growth for students taking a. P. Exams. And we rank fourth in the nation in providing lowincome students access to a. P. Courses. We are saving families money, and we are preparing kids better for college. I want to introduce an impressive young man to you, ethan senna. [ applause ] ethan will graduate this year from Cleveland High School in rio rancho, where he has taken only seven a. P. Courses. He says that without the a. P. Investments we have made, he would have never been able to take the courses, and would n