Governor Pushes $250 Rebates Before Leaving Office

Governor Lujan Grisham is racing against time to push through a $250 rebate for every New Mexican before she leaves office, tapping into an $825 million budget surplus fueled by high oil prices — a move she argues is fair since gas costs are crushing wallets. But lawmakers like Senate Finance Chair George Muñoz push back, calling rebates a short-term fix and favoring permanent tax cuts or credits instead. This isn’t the first time New Mexico has handed out cash — last year’s $500 rebates drew criticism for being wasteful. To make this happen, the governor would need a special session, a risky political move with a gubernatorial election looming. Both candidates have their own plans: one wants to eliminate income tax, the other to expand credits for low-income residents. The rebates would cost over $300 million — potentially cutting into vital state programs — but the governor insists New Mexico’s oil wealth belongs to its people, and now is the time to share it. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/f6895a672124e2d1