ISSUES

Education

Democrat Natalie Figueroa has been a teacher for over 30 years and believes that our children are our greatest hope. She also believes that our children need someone to be their advocate in Santa Fe. When we support education every step of the way, kids in Albuquerque will have better opportunities to succeed.

As a State Representative, Natalie Figueroa consistently stand up for the issues we care about. She has first-hand experience on the struggles our schools are facing. To improve education in New Mexico, Natalie will:

  • Focus on what works—early childhood education and teaching, not over-testing

  • Stop taxpayer dollars from flowing to out-of-state, for-profit testing corporations at the expense of our schools

  • Provide students and teachers with opportunities that foster true learning with smaller class sizes

  • Freeze corporate tax cuts and use the savings for investments in teaching

Healthcare

Everyone should be guaranteed access to quality affordable health care. Those who have coverage should be able to access quality care when they need it. Those with limited coverage should not be forced to wait weeks or take on crippling debt every time they see a doctor. To improve our health care system in New Mexico, Natalie will:

  • Work to make health care affordable for everyone. That also requires holding insurance companies accountable to ensure they aren’t allowed to unjustifiably raise health insurance premiums.

  • Expand access to health insurance coverage, including adequately funding the Medicaid program.

  • Invest in behavioral and mental health services and drug treatment programs.

  • Support a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions.

Creating jobs

It’s no secret that New Mexico is lagging behind when it comes to adding new jobs. The failed policies of corporate tax cuts, stagnant wages, and cuts to job creating industries have left many families in Albuquerque behind. Everyone who is willing to work hard deserves the opportunity to access a good job with a fair wage here in New Mexico. Natalie believes that it’s time that we make the right decisions to grow our economy to ensure that our young people and our brightest minds aren’t forced to leave the state because they can’t find a quality job. If elected, Natalie will:

  • Invest in our local economy and local start ups

  • Expand job training incentives and apprenticeship programs to reduce unemployment

  • Support and grow job-creating industries like film and renewable energy

  • Ensure that everyone is paid a fair wage for hard work

  • Require out of state corporations to pay their fair share of taxes and improve accountability for promised jobs. It’s time we stop wasteful tax giveaways to companies that take taxpayer dollars then pick up and leave the state.

Public Safety

As an Albuquerque resident, Natalie knows we have to come together to make our neighborhoods safer for children and families. She will work to build a healthy community where families want to live and raise their kids. She knows that criminalizing our youth is the wrong approach. The best way to build safer communities is to deal with the source. That means:

  • Improving mental health access in our state. We must adequately fund programs that allow individuals who are struggling with mental and behavioral health issues to access the treatment they need.

  • Funding drug and mental health treatment options over incarceration to ensure that we are intervening at an early stage and not imprisoning our population for minor crimes. Those who commit violent crimes should be punished.

  • Working collaboratively with leaders in Albuquerque to ensure that our police force is adequately trained, visible, and part of our community.

Transparency and Ethics

Those elected to work on our behalf should be held to the highest ethical standards. Albuquerque citizens have rightfully been skeptical of their government. They don’t feel like it works for them when there is evidence of corruption in public office. Those who violate the public trust should be held accountable for their actions. To improve transparency and accountability Natalie supports:

  • Efforts to enact an independent ethics commission to root out corruption.

  • Improving transparency in election spending. We must reduce money in politics to ensure that average citizens’ voices are being heard and that citizens know who is influencing their elected leaders.

  • Improving access to voting. That means ensuring that New Mexicans are registered to vote and given the opportunity to participate effectively in the political process and hold their leaders accountable.

Environment

Natalie understands the importance of preserving our precious natural resources and scarce water supply for our future. She will work to protect our environment and to promote healthy and sustainable communities. Natalie supports:

  • Investments in renewable energy and a new energy economy. New Mexico should be leading the way for investments in solar, wind, and geothermal energy. These types of investments can transform our economy and create more jobs in our state.

  • Conservation measures that help mitigate the devastating effects of climate change.

  • Holding polluters accountable to protect our land, water and air quality.