Despite all of the hoopla regarding progress coming out of Governor Richardson’s office, the one thing they can’t change are the facts. Is there a bright side to growing poorer under the Richardson administration?
In 2003, New Mexico’s per capita income rose by 2.9 percent, a move that caused Medicaid to reduce its dollar match to the state by $60 million in 2004. The state Legislature had to scramble to find the extra money during the recently completed legislative session. And now that New Mexico has fallen in comparison to other states in terms of per capita income, it might be in line to get more federal matching Medicaid dollars, Waldman says.
That would be “good news” for the state, he says.
Oh boy, we qualify for more federal welfare.