On Tuesday, the New Mexico House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Rep. Matthew McQueen (D-Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Torrance, and Valencia) will hear radical gas tax on the poor bill S.B. 11 sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo). Your testimony is requested to stop this anti-worker, anti-energy bill.
S.B. 11 puts extreme clean fuel standards on businesses that produce or import transportation fuels and fuels used in motor vehicles. The restrictions on these companies would force them to invest in costly upgrades to their fuel standards, meaning these costs would transfer to the consumers. The bill also adds vague and sweeping “enviro-justice” provisions to state law.
In California and Oregon, where clean fuel standards are already in place, there are already increased costs of up to 24 cents per gallon on gas, which directly hurts poor consumers. Similar bills have been enacted in Oregon and California, states where the gas prices are 119% and 135% higher than the national average, respectively, according to AAA.
In Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee, Stewart got flustered with people calling her bill out for harming poor New Mexicans, where she insisted, “You know what gas costs in Europe? It costs $6-7 a gallon!” She said people drove smaller electric cars in the region and said she didn’t appreciate “the sky is falling” arguments regarding concerns attributed to her bill. Stewart also complained about the committee hearing nearing two hours long on her bill.
However, senators from rural areas did, indeed, have concerns about her bill since many people in more remote areas have to drive farther to go to work and to get basic needs from neighboring towns. This de-facto gas tax would harm the poorest New Mexicans.
But despite any logical argument otherwise, Stewart insists her bill will bring industry to New Mexico, while poor citizens foot the bill for her pipe dream. S.B. 11 was rammed through the Senate and now is being fast-tracked through the House of Representatives. The bill is a priority of far-left Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
ACTION ALERT:
The New Mexico House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee will meet today (Tuesday, March 16, 2020) at 8:00 a.m to consider the bill. Please attend and give your testimony against the radical measure which will hurt the poor and middle classes. You can join the meeting with the below information:
Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88692377623 Or iPhone one-tap : US: +16699009128,,88692377623# or +12532158782,,88692377623# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 Webinar ID: 886 9237 7623
Please reach out to members of the committee and urge them to oppose S.B. 11:
- Matthew McQueen (D), Chair, 505-986-4423, matthew.mcqueen@nmlegis.gov
- Melanie A. Stansbury (D), Vice Chair, 505-986-4432, melanie.stansbury@nmlegis.gov
- Christine Chandler (D), 505-986-4242, christine.chandler@nmlegis.gov
- Meredith A. Dixon (D), 505-986-4210, meredith.dixon@nmlegis.gov
- Joanne J. Ferrary (D), 505-986-4438, joanne.ferrary@nmlegis.gov
- Rod Montoya (R), 505-986-4758, roddmontoya@gmail.com
- Kristina Ortez (D), 505-986-4254, kristina.ortez@nmlegis.gov
- Debra M. Sariñana, (D), 505-986-4227, debbie.sarinana@nmlegis.gov
- Larry R. Scott (R), 505-986-4450, larry.scott@nmlegis.gov
- James R.J. Strickler (R), 505-986-4220, jamesstrickler@msn.com
- James G. Townsend (R), 505-986-4758, townsend@pvtn.net