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"Gov. Susana Martinez gave the annual State of the State address on Tuesday, stressing the need for education reform, fiscal responsibility, tax cuts and not allowing foreign nationals to get state driver's licenses.The governor started her speech by discussing the rebounding economy in the state.\"Thinking about the state of our state last year, it gives me great pleasure to report to you today that New Mexico\u0092s financial house is back in order. We are no longer running a budget deficit; in fact, our historic deficit has now become a projected $250 million surplus,\" Martinez said.Then Martinez presented her budget for the year, which allocated $97 million to education reform. Last year, she pushed for a letter-grading system for schools. This year, Martinez called for an end to social promotion -- passing a student to the next grade despite failing grades -- and $17 million in reading reforms.\"We know that children who can\u0092t read by the third grade are four times more likely to drop out. And 80 percent of our fourth-graders cannot read proficiently.\" Martinez said. \"Passing children who can\u0092t read from one grade to the next is not compassionate. It is morally wrong.\"Martinez said New Mexico is open for businesses and pointed to the relocation of companies like Union Pacific and Lowe's as proof. She said she wants the state to become more business-friendly.\"I am proposing that we exempt roughly half of New Mexico\u0092s small businesses \u0096 those earning less than $50,000 per year \u0096 from the gross receipts tax,\" Martinez said. \"And this year, it\u0092s time for us to stop the double and triple taxation that is crippling our construction and manufacturing industries. This is often called pyramiding -- a business-to-business tax that kills jobs in New Mexico.\"The governor also revived last year's measure that would stop the state from issuing driver's licenses to foreign nationals who are in the state illegally.\"I want to thank Independent Representative Andy Nunez for sponsoring the bill to repeal this law and I want to thank the Democratic House Judiciary Committee Chairman Al Park for working with us last session to cut through and tone down the rhetoric and to develop a compromise \u0096 a bill that does not give driver\u0092s licenses to illegal immigrants but does allow foreign nationals here legally, on a work or student visa, to get a driver\u0092s license,\" Martinez said. \"That was a good compromise and it cleared the House last year with bi-partisan support. This issue has been debated thoroughly. The desire of New Mexicans is clear. And it\u0092s time to vote to repeal this law.\"Martinez also touched on tougher drunken driving, child abuse and homicide laws, increased benefits for veterans and public corruption in her address."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.koat.com/article/gov-stresses-education-reform-tax-cuts-in-speech/5038911>