Legislative Finance Committee

Some New Mexico public schools with high populations of students at risk of failing produce successful students despite the odds, and these schools provide lessons for best practices that could improve schools statewide

The Legislative Finance Committee today released a budget recommendation for the 2025-2026 fiscal year that calls for spending $10.8 billion from the state’s general fund, a 5.7 percent, or $577 million, increase over FY25 planned spending.

Press Release Packet
Legislating for Results: Policy and Performance Analysis
Legislating for Results: Appropriation Recommendations
Legislating for Results: Supplemental Tables and Graphs

State funding for public school student transportation reached a record high of $133.8 million in FY25 despite continued enrollment and bus ridership declines.

New Mexico’s 326 electric vehicle charging stations is far below the 1,300 state average but in proportion to the number of EVs in the state. But stations are not evenly distributed through the state, with three-quarters of stations in urban areas and rural and tribal lands largely underserved.

Around 40 percent of those released from New Mexico prisons will return within three years, but even though national best practices to address recidivism are well-studied, New Mexico falls short of implementing those best practices upon intake, in the reentry process, and in community supervision.

New Mexico revenue growth has slowed, with fiscal year 2025-2026 revenue estimated at just 2.6 percent over the current 2024-2025 fiscal year, but fiscal restraint in years of substantial revenue growth means the amount available for FY26 appropriations remains high, with the state estimated to get approximately $892 million more in total revenues than in total FY25 planned spending.

At the end of first quarter of FY25 at the end of September, outstanding capital outlay balances totaled an estimated $5.8 billion across roughly 5,300 projects.

While a growing number of behavioral health providers could help reduce the number of New Mexicans who abuse substances and suffer other behavioral health issues, the state should also develop high-quality, evidence-based services and use data and analysis to focus efforts.