New Mexico will become first state to offer free universal child care next week

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Yahoo! News/CBS News

Wed, October 29, 2025 at 7:33 PM EDT


Parents in New Mexico will no longer have to pay for child care starting next week, regardless of their income, making the Land of Enchantment the first state in the nation to offer free universal child care. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who championed the new initiative, told CBS News it would save families an average of $12,000 a year.

"In 41 states in America, your child care payment is more than your mortgage payment," she said. Santa Fe teachers Hannah Mierley and Nathan Herzog know that math all too well. They pay more than $14,000 a year in child care for their toddler, Atticus. "It is all of the leftover budget that we have," Herzog told CBS News.

"It's second to our mortgage," Mierley added. The state's child care plan will be paid for by New Mexico's oil and gas revenues. "All sectors of our economy are overperforming," Lujan Grisham said. "You can't stay that course unless you have a robust early childhood and child care setting."

Nationwide, about 67% of women with children under 5 are in the labor force, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, a number that's declined over the past few years.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/mexico-become-first-state-offer-233338393.html

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REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143527087

[riversedge]

1. Great news for parents in NM

[viva la]

2. Wow. This will truly help families

I'm glad Dem governors are committing to policies that help people.

[Ponietz]

3. Also, the Governor announced last night she's injecting $30 million into SNAP benefits

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/new-mexico-governor-to-hold-press-conference-on-food-assistance/

[peacebuzzard]

5. wonderful!

That state never ceases to amaze me. ❤️

[BlueWavePsych]

4. Bravo!

[peacebuzzard]

6. Wish I could reside there full time.

I still work and live out here in the east. It is quite a trek but I have plans to visit often. New Mexico. Land of Enchantment. ❤️
on edit: thanks for the news; I live in a bubble most of the time and miss good, positive occurrences like this!

[BumRushDaShow]

9. I have to dig deep

but try to find stories about our forward progress that accentuates "the positive"!

[mlartist59]

7. Retired in NM

We retired here in Southern NM last year, after visiting every year for the past decade, scouting out the whole state. We Love it here!, the area, the beauty, the people (they are some of of nicest friendly and helpful people we have ever had the pleasure of meeting) Oh and the food is wonderful as well. We don't have any regrets!

[erronis]

12. Careful - you're inviting a crowd!

[Pinback]

13. Beautiful state, and yes, wonderful people.

And for me, the answer is Green.

We visited there a few years ago and absolutely loved it. At first the dry air just about killed me, and the higher elevations we visited just about killed my wife, but after a couple of days we could adjust with some mitigations.

[duhneece]

16. I'm in south central NM in canyons outside of Alamogordo

….totally red hell politically but I found my peeps in local Dem party and the incredible activists.

[peacebuzzard]

17. Hi there duhneece!

you are the best!!!!

[duhneece]

18. We DIers have so many who inspire us to step out in faith

…. faith that we can build a better world for all.
I’m in awe of Omaha Steve, malaise, Earl G, Bcomplex, and so many others

[peacebuzzard]

20. including you in the list! you make the world better with your courage and faith

in humanity.
⭐️💖

[womanofthehills]

22. I'm in the middle of NM - at 6500 ft in foothills of Manzanos

It’s beautiful - I’m up on a hill on 40 acres of pinyon, juniper, & cactus with a great view of the Manzanos in one directions and mesas in other directions. Super blue skies.

Outside of a tiny rural town of 900. Our mayor is a Democrat. He’s a young Hispanic guy who grew up here. Our town is probably half Republican & half Democrat. He is very beloved in our town because he will drop everything to help anyone and plans so many activities for a little town.

I grew up in NJ - came out to go to UNM with 4 friends from art school in NY because our beloved painting teacher got a visiting professor ship at UNM. It wasn’t even on my radar- just went with the flo. One day, my professor announced that he got us all accepted to UNM. They all returned back East but I loved it so I stayed.

Not only free childcare, but free buses in Albuquerque and free college. Albuquerque is the largest US city with fully fare-free public transit.

Free college is funded by oil and gas too. The billions are rolling in to this previously poor state.

Besides our great governor, our Senators are wonderful as they voted against bombs for Israel.

It’s a catch 22 - NM is now the second largest producer of oil & gas in US because of fracking and lessening of regulations but more pollution is happening in south eastern NM.

[alittlelark]

8. Our Governor is 'The Real Deal'

[womanofthehills]

23. Don't forget our great Senators

Martian Heinrich & Ben Ray Lujan voted against arms sales to Israel in the Senate resolution introduced by Bernie. We are very blue!!

Free buses, free college and now free childcare!!!! Plus emergency funding to replace SNAP benefits. Yea to our Gov.

“ Governor announces $30 million to feed New Mexicans – 460,000 New Mexicans set to lose federal SNAP benefits Nov. 1
Oct 29, 2025

SANTA FE — Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today that the State of New Mexico will provide $30 million in state dollars starting Nov. 1 to ensure that low-income children and families, seniors and New Mexicans with disabilities continue to receive food...”

[Clouds Passing]

10. And MLG announced $30 million to cover Snap losses

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/new-mexico-governor-legislative-leaders-announce-stopgap-aid-if-snap-benefits-are-halted/article_dac1e6db-59e1-4830-aa92-de151672c7db.html

She has been a good Governor.

[IronLionZion]

11. It starts with free childcare but quickly slips into Stalin's gulags

according to conservatives

[Bayard]

14. Way to put people first!

That will free up a lot of people's budgets. Kudos to Gov. Grisham!



I love New Mexico too. Have been from the Santa Fe National Forest to Las Cruces on vacations. Came SO close to moving there. And yes--the people are incredibly friendly, even inviting you into their homes.

[lindalou65]

15. New Mexico, Land of Enchantment

I have spent much of my life here in Albuquerque--leaving for a number of years here and there. My husband and I have retired here and we truly enjoy it. It is very dry here as we don't get a ton of moisture. We have beautiful mountains close by. My sister, my niece and nephews and my brother all are here. Our parents are buried in the National Cemetery in Santa Fe.
We are proud of our Governor and our Senators and Representatives. One extra special Representative is Melanie Stansbury who is an amazing Congresswoman.

[Ponietz]

19. Stansbury gets my boost every time I see her name here

[oasis]

21. Saluting New Mexico. May this move catch on!

[ck4829]

25. K&R

[underpants]

26. Good. As I've understood it West Virginia has had free for kids under 5 for a while

but that might be through a government program courtesy of the late Sen. Robert Byrd.