Column: How Will Sequestration Cuts Affect New Mexico?

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on February 26, 2013
- 9:26 pm

Column by CATHY WIGET KING

Los Alamos

According to the information put forward on the White House website, Sequestration will cut funding to New Mexico by millions including providing fewer funds for everything from education and military bases to meals for senior citizens.

The total amount of cuts for the entire country is $85 billion.

Here are the details:

Primary Cuts:

MILITARY READINESS (Dept. of Def.): $42 million in cuts from Army base(s) ($32 mil.) and Air Force base(s) ($10 mil.) (National Laboratory cuts were not mentioned.)

EDUCATION CUTS: $6.1 million for primary and secondary education teachers and aides; various services for about 12,000 students and 30 schools would be cut.

CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES: $4.4 million in cuts for teachers, aides, and support staff (OTs & PTs, Speech/Lang. therapy, etc.)

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS: $1.2 million in funds lost for clean water and air quality, pollution prevention from pesticides and hazardous water, and in addition, New Mexico would lose another $877,000 in grants for fish and wildlife protection.

Secondary (i.e. smaller) Cuts:

PUBLIC HEALTH:

THREAT RESPONSE: loss of $197,000 in funding for upgrade the ability of the state to respond to threats such as infectious disease, natural disasters, and biological/ chemical/nuclear/radiological events.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE: loss of $450,000 in grants to help prevent and treat drug/alcohol abuse, resulting in about 300 few admissions to substance abuse programs.
HIV: $84,000 loss resulting in approx. 2,100 fewer HIV tests.
STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PROGRAM: loss of $40,000 in funds that provide care for victims of domestic violence; 200 fewer victims served.
NUTRITION ASSISTANCE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS: $401,000 loss in funds that provide meals for seniors.

WORK STUDY JOBS: 210 fewer students served

HEAD START: 500 fewer children served

LAW ENFORCEMENT & PUBLIC SAFETY: $135,000 would be lost for Justice Assistance Grants that support: law enforcement; prosecution and courts, crime prevention/education; corrections; drug treatment/enforcement; and crime victim and witness initiatives.

JOB SEARCH ASSISTANCE: loss of $257,000 resulting in 9,620 fewer people receiving training, referral and placement services.

CHILD CARE FOR WORKING PARENTS: up to 400 disadvantaged and vulnerable children will lose services causing parents to have to give up their jobs.

VACCINATION PROGRAMS: loss of $54,000 resulting in 790 fewer children receiving protection against such diseases as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, flu, and Hepatitis B.

Please contact your federal senators and representative regarding your concern about any of these Sequester initiated cuts:

www.heinrich.senate.gov/contact.cfm