FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, September 18, 2012

CONTACT: Matt Ross (505) 263-4879

Albuquerque, NM – State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino (D-Albuquerque) today issued the following statement on Governor Romney’s newfound outreach to Hispanic voters this week:

“With only 49 days left until Election Day, Governor Romney is working overtime to mend the fence with New Mexico’s Hispanic community. The only problem is that his last minute outreach rings hollow. The reality is that Governor Romney is on the wrong side of issues important to our community, from creating jobs to strengthening education to ensuring quality, affordable health care.

“His tax proposal would raise taxes by over $2,000  for Hispanic middle-class families with kids  in order to give $250,000 tax cuts to multimillionaires. On education, his plan calls for cutting taxes for millionaires while slashing critical investments in our schools. That cut could push over 2,500 kids in New Mexico off of Head Start and slash K-12 and special education funding in our state by over $38 million. And, on health care, Romney’s  pledge to repeal health care reform would hurt over 122,000 New Mexico children with pre-existing conditions who can now obtain coverage, as well as eliminate coverage for over 21,000 young New Mexicans who are now able to stay on their parents’ health plans.

“On issue after issue, the choice is clear: President Obama has consistently fought on behalf of the Hispanic community and Mitt Romney would take us back to the failed policies of the past.”

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