Sen. Bernie Sanders is once again holding up New Mexico as a national model — this time praising the state’s move to offer universal “free” child care — a program critics warn will saddle taxpayers with yet another expensive, open-ended government entitlement.
In a post on X last week, Sanders applauded New Mexico for becoming the first state to guarantee taxpayer-funded child care for all families, regardless of income. He framed the program as a solution to what he called a “broken” national child care system and urged other states to follow suit.
“Our broken child care system can learn a lot from New Mexico — the state that is leading the way in guaranteeing free child care for all,” Sanders wrote, according to Bezinga. “There is no better rate of return than investing in our children. The rest of the country should follow New Mexico’s lead.”
What Sanders calls an “investment,” however, critics see as another costly government expansion in one of the poorest states in the nation — one already struggling with chronic budget pressures, low educational outcomes, and heavy reliance on federal dollars.
New Mexico officially rolled out the program in November. Under the plan, families receive state-funded vouchers that cover the full cost of child care at participating providers, both public and private. Unlike previous assistance programs, the benefit has no income cap, meaning even high-earning households qualify.
The initiative is administered through the Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD), which was created in 2019 and has steadily expanded its scope and spending ever since. Funding comes largely from state revenues — including oil and gas dollars — raising concerns about sustainability if energy markets decline.
Supporters argue the program will boost workforce participation and improve early childhood outcomes. But opponents question why a state where nearly 18% of residents live below the poverty line is prioritizing universal subsidies instead of targeted aid, basic academic performance, or crime reduction.
They also warn that “free” government programs are rarely free. Taxpayers ultimately foot the bill, while costs tend to balloon as eligibility expands and political pressure grows to increase benefits. Once entrenched, such programs become nearly impossible to roll back — even if they underperform or crowd out private options.
Sanders’ praise comes as other Democrat-led states and cities pursue similar policies. Connecticut recently approved child care subsidies for families earning under $100,000, while capping costs for higher earners. In New York City, incoming leadership has floated proposals for a fully government-run, no-cost child care system.
Critics say these efforts reflect a broader socialist approach to governance: expanding entitlements, centralizing services, and shifting personal and family responsibilities onto the state — all while ignoring long-term fiscal consequences.
For New Mexico, the question remains whether universal child care will meaningfully improve outcomes — or simply become another expensive program propped up by temporary revenues, growing bureaucracy, and promises future taxpayers will be forced to keep.
As Sanders pushes to export the model nationwide, skeptics argue New Mexico should first prove it can manage the basics before becoming the blueprint for the rest of the country.