The New Mexico Senate has approved their version of the state budget.
The Senate approved the $8.48 billion plan on a 37-3 vote.
Sen. George Munoz discusses the budget plan with his colleagues on the Senate floor, Monday night.
CREDIT KEVIN MEERSCHAERT / KSFR-FM
The package includes a 14-percent increase in spending thanks to a sharp increase in revenue. The Senate plan spends $11.1million dollars more than the house version.
Senate Finance Committee Chair George Munoz says despite all the additional cash, it was difficult to put the budget proposal together.
“I don’t think I‘ve had as many sleepless nights or as worrisome as spending this amount of money when you think about the everyday person who has to get up every day…go out to that single job, whatever that job could be...and help fund the budget in New Mexico.”
Some of the new spending in the Senate version includes three-point-five million for judicial salary increases, and additional amounts for outdoor classrooms, athletics, fighting domestic violence and more funding for sexual assault victims and other criminal justice initiatives.
The changes to the budget now head back to the House.