It’s time for NM to stop taxing veterans’ retirement pay
I am a member of the New Mexico National Guard.
Driving across our beautiful state, one sees billboards with messages promoting the beauty and diversity of what we call the Land of Enchantment. The message the billboards give is “New Mexico True.”
Like many of my fellow Guard members, I served in the Middle East wars. Having served as a fire team leader in the 101st Airborne Division, I am a proud veteran and I also feel that I, too, am “New Mexico True.”
I think about this every day as I put on my uniform.
I have furthered my commitment to my fellow Guard members and veterans by serving as president of their professional organization, the Enlisted Association of the New Mexico National Guard.
I am proud to represent 3,500 uniformed enlisted Guard members and their families, as well as countless other veterans throughout the 33 counties of our state.
My commitment to them resolves me to urge the lawmakers of New Mexico to exempt military retirement pay from state tax.
It is a matter of simple justice for those who served our country — quite often with three or four deployments to combat zones throughout the world.
Currently, 22 states in our country exempt military pay from state tax and another 17 authorize partial exemption for military retirement pay.
Unfortunately, New Mexico is not one of the 39 that offer veterans an incentive to retire in this state.
Our veterans who rose to the call of duty and stood “New Mexico True” are left with a difficult decision when they retire: stay in the state they love or move to a state where, with additional income, they can better support their families.
We in New Mexico cannot afford to lose these great New Mexicans who retire from our many military installations to other states. Veterans of military service are the kind of citizens we need in every neighborhood and in every community. They are the people who serve in neighborhood watch programs and homeowners associations, and work in our farms and businesses.
Veterans are the sort of role models we need for our young children.
Veterans have a long-stand- ing desire to serve. This isn’t something that can just be turned off. It is a habit that will continue to be embodied throughout their lives.
It’s not a character trait. It’s a lifestyle.
New Mexicans have volunteered to fight in our nation’s wars since territorial times. Their service convinced the U.S. government to make New Mexico a state back in 1912. I hope that our lawmakers will agree with me and feel as I do that now is the time for New Mexico to give a break to those who have put everything on the line to serve our great state and our even greater nation.
New Mexico National Guard members have been deployed in combat zones throughout the world for the past 13 years while simultaneously responding to floods, fires, hurricanes, snowstorms, power outages, and search and rescue missions in New Mexico and throughout the U.S. during the same period of time.
I regularly advise Guard members who are about to retire, but I would not be of service to them by advising them to make their homes in New Mexico when they can more adequately support their families in our neighboring states — all of which provide either full or partial tax exemption for military retirement income.
The soldiers and airmen of the New Mexico National Guard, and our state’s veterans are hoping that our legislators, like the great state they represent, will be “New Mexico True.”