From the Sam Bregman for Governor Campaign:

ALBUQUERQUE — With affordability now the top concern for voters nationwide, New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Sam Bregman today released a bold, comprehensive Affordability Plan designed to lower everyday costs for working families, seniors, and small businesses and to deliver real, measurable relief.

“President Trump’s State of the Nation speech last night (Dec. 17) showed how out of touch he is with the struggles of families facing the high price of his tariffs and the GOP assault on health care,” Bregman said. 

At a time when families are being squeezed by rising prices for groceries, housing, utilities, healthcare, and insurance, Bregman’s plan takes direct aim at the costs New Mexicans can’t avoid and can’t control. The plan combines immediate cost relief with long-term structural reforms to make New Mexico more affordable not just today, but for the future.

Despite repeated promises from President Trump and Republican leaders to bring prices down, costs continue to rise across the board. Bregman’s plan offers a clear alternative: practical, proven solutions that put people first and can be replicated by states across the country.

“Families are doing everything right, working hard, playing by the rules and they’re still falling behind,” Bregman said. “Affordability isn’t a slogan. It’s the defining economic challenge facing New Mexico and the country. As governor, I’ll take on price gouging, cut the costs people can’t control, and put more money back in the pockets of working people. These are real solutions that deliver real relief, and they work.”

Bregman’s Affordability Plan reflects his commitment to governing with a plan, not platitudes and to ensuring New Mexico is a place where hard work is rewarded, and families can get ahead again.

Key Elements of Bregman’s Affordability Plan Include:

Lower Housing & Rental Costs

• Build 5000 new, affordable homes. 
• Incentivize construction of starter homes and affordable rentals near jobs, schools, and transit
• Help renters become homeowners with down payment assistance
• Ban rent-setting schemes, close Wall Street tax loopholes, and increase transparency in bulk home purchases

Cut Energy & Utility Bills

• Cap annual utility rate increases unless they pass a public affordability test
• Expand weatherization, insulation, and appliance rebates
• Create on-bill financing for solar and batteries so families see savings immediately
• Establish emergency utility assistance to prevent shutoffs
• Support rural communities facing water system failures and bill spikes

Put More Money Back in Paychecks

• Expand the Child Tax Credit and increase the Working Families Tax Credit
• Establish a family caregiver tax credit of up to $3,000

Lower Healthcare & Prescription Drug Costs

• Eliminate state taxes on medical services
• Offset Trump-era federal healthcare subsidy cuts driving 30% premium increases
• Create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to cap excessive drug prices

Help Families Build Wealth

• Launch baby bonds and savings accounts for low-income families
• Create matched savings accounts to help families buy homes, attend college, or start businesses

Support Small Businesses

• Guarantee small business loans
• Offer a refundable $5,000 tax credit for each new job created
• Expand grants and tax credits for energy-efficient upgrades

Lower Monthly Bills & End Corporate Abuse

• Guarantee affordable internet and cell service with $10–$20 monthly plans
• Ban junk fees across housing, utilities, banking, travel, and ticketing
• Enact year-round anti-price-gouging protections
• Create an Insurance Affordability Office to rein in unfair premium hikes

Protect Seniors on Fixed Incomes

• Cap property tax increases
• Provide a $250 annual senior utility credit
• Expand free home retrofits for safety and energy efficiency

Bregman said he would begin implementing these policies immediately upon taking office and signaled to New Mexico legislators that he would work with them closely to pass legislation as needed to make these plans reality.

“This moment demands leadership that’s willing to stand up to powerful interests and provide relief to New Mexicans who struggle with prices every day,” Bregman said. “That’s exactly what this Affordability Plan does.” 

Learn more about Bregman’s Blueprint for New Mexico at www.bregmanfornm.com/issues-blueprint.