Susana Martinez in 2011 Governor's State of the State speeches
On Education:
Kids First, New Mexico Wins: 4 key initiatives
I propose a comprehensive reform package that will transform our schools. Our "Kids First, New Mexico Wins" plan is comprised of four key initiatives.- We will get money out of the bureaucracy and into the classroom. Today, only 61 cents of every
education dollar makes it to the classroom. Wasting money on lawyers in the Public Education Dept. does nothing to help a child read. By cutting waste & inefficiency in the bureaucracy, we will increase the percentage of funds that reach classrooms.
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We will adopt an easy-to-understand, easy-to-implement system of grading. Schools will be assigned letter grades A, B, C, D or F. And these grades will be posted to the Web. That's real accountability that will yield real results.
- We will end social
promotion, the practice of passing children from one grade to the next before they have mastered the basics. The New Mexico "Ready for Success" initiative will get struggling students the help they need before we pass them on to the next grade.
Source: 2011 New Mexico State of the State Address
Jan 18, 2011
On Energy & Oil:
Cap-and-Tax does not move us toward a cleaner environment
The very first executive order I signed created a small business task force to review regulations over the next 90 days. We will maintain common-sense protections for consumers, workers and our environment.
Rational regulations will remain, but irrational red tape will be cut. To be clear, regulations such as Pit Rule 17 and Cap-and-Tax do not move us toward a cleaner environment.
Instead, they move jobs to the other side of the state line. New Mexico is a beautiful state and protecting the environment and developing our natural resources are not mutually exclusive goals.
We can achieve both and we must achieve both. But that requires basing environmental regulations on sound science--not on political ideology.
Source: 2011 New Mexico State of the State Address
Jan 18, 2011
On Government Reform:
Moratorium on state car purchases; sell the state luxury jet
To protect priorities, we must do away with the waste and excess that has defined the past and whose absence will improve our future. And I began by reducing the governor's budget. I cut overall salaries within my cabinet by 10%. I will reduce the number
of political appointees in state government by at least 20%. I have invited New Mexicans to share their ideas for cutting waste by emailing me. Many of those who emailed suggested cutting unnecessary state vehicles. I agree. And I ordered a one-year
moratorium on all new state car purchases, except for law enforcement.We must all do our part. At a time when New Mexicans are struggling to make ends meet their Governor should not be leading a life of privilege. That's why I cut costs at the
Governor's residence by 55%--permanently eliminating the positions of two personal chefs. The first gentleman will just have to help out with the cooking. And we will get rid of that ultimate symbol of waste & excess, we will sell the state's luxury jet.
Source: 2011 New Mexico State of the State Address
Jan 18, 2011
On Government Reform:
Pay-to-play is a crime, not an ethical dilemma
Corruption is a crime, not an ethical dilemma. Those guilty of corruption are criminals and they should be treated as such.- We must institute criminal penalties for public officials who know about, but fail to report, pay-to-play activity. Public
officials don't have the luxury of turning a blind eye.
- When public officials are found guilty of corruption they should be immediately removed from office, receive mandatory prison time and be forced to surrender their pension.
- We must formally
adopt legislation that prohibits the State Investment Council, or any state agency, from paying finder's fees to those who help direct state investments. "Finder's fees" can easily become nothing more than kickbacks--pay-to-play with the pensions of our
teachers & police officers. It must be banned and we must get their money back.
- And it is time to establish a Public Corruption Unit in the Department of Public Safety. They will investigate & bring to justice those who violate the public's trust.
Source: 2011 New Mexico State of the State Address
Jan 18, 2011
On Jobs:
Cover some salary when businesses hire unemployed workers
When people are out of work, we must provide a safety net for the unemployed worker to ensure people can continue to feed their families. But we must do more than just hand out unemployment checks. We must also help people get back to work. That's why
I propose encouraging small businesses to hire unemployed workers by covering part of their salaries for the first six months through the unemployment fund. This will help the state by getting people off the unemployment rolls; it will help small
businesses by making it easier for them to grow. And it will help families by getting more New Mexicans back to work. And we must refocus our mission outward--on helping small businesses grow. That's why we'll cut wasteful programs that do little for
job creation. And redirect resources to open an Office of Business Advocacy within the Economic Development Department. We'll do more, with less. This office will help small businesses break through regulatory roadblocks.
Source: 2011 New Mexico State of the State Address
Jan 18, 2011
On Tax Reform:
NM is not under-taxed. revenue enhancements vetoed
We must remember that the long-term solution to our budget woes is economic growth. We increase revenue by helping small businesses create new jobs--not by government creating new taxes. Let me speak plainly: New Mexicans are not under-taxed.
The government has simply over-spent.I applaud the Legislative Finance Committee for putting forth a budget proposal that doesn't include tax increases and doesn't try to raid the permanent fund. Unfortunately, some are still pushing tax hikes:
Doubling the tax when you buy a car. Taxing job creators. Even taxing the Internet. To make them sound better, some call them "revenue enhancements." They can be called many things but they will all be vetoed.
I've long said that government doesn't
create jobs. Government creates the environment where small businesses can create those jobs. We must recognize that in a global economy, businesses will choose to locate and expand in areas that encourage--not impede--job growth.
Source: 2011 New Mexico State of the State Address
Jan 18, 2011
Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018