Patrick M. Brenner
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Op-Ed
Here’s What Rate Caps Really Do To Consumers
Earlier this year, as New Mexico debated legislation limiting to 36 percent the annual percentage rate for consumer loans in the state, the primary witness testified in support of the bill before the Consumer and Public…
Originally published inSanta Fe New Mexican
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Policy Brief
With Biden Absent, Some Southwest States Combat Inflation
Erin Norman, senior messaging strategist at State Policy Network, recently published critical commentary of President Joe Biden’s inflation-fighting plan. Introduced last week, Biden highlights his plan in the Wall Street Journal. Composed of over 1,100 words,…
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Policy Brief
The Best And Worst State Economies Of The American Southwest
The personal finance website WalletHub just released its report on 2022’s Best and Worst State Economies. The WalletHub methodology incorporates twenty-eight indicators across three broad categories of economic activity, economic health, and innovation potential. The weighted…
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Policy Brief
Did School Closures Impact Education In New Mexico?
New Mexico suffered from some of the most draconian pandemic-related school closures in the country: how did this impact educational outcomes? On Tuesday, Esteban Candelaria, a staff writer with the Albuquerque Journal, reported on delays in…
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Policy Brief
New Mexico Paid Sick Leave Takes Effect July 1
Even employers with a single employee are obligated to implement a sick leave policy under the new law. Next month, on July 1, 2022, the New Mexico Paid Sick Leave Law will take effect. The Healthy…
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Policy Brief
Post-Pandemic, Utah’s Unemployment Rate Recovery Tops The Charts
According to WalletHub’s latest report, post-pandemic, Utah’s unemployment rate has recovered more than any other state in the nation. Source: WalletHub In order to identify the states whose unemployment rates are bouncing back most, personal finance…
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Policy Brief
Texas Severs Ties with NSBA, All States Should Follow Suit
Texas is the most recent state to leave the NSBA following the “domestic terrorism” controversy involving Biden’s Attorney General Merrick Garland. The Texas School Board Association (TSBA) announced on Monday that it was cutting ties with…
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Policy Brief
Albuquerque Public Schools Makes the Case for School Choice
Are the worst educational outcomes on record causing declining enrollment? Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Scott Elder announced a need to trim 5% of its staff in the coming school year in response to an enrollment-driven deficit…