Lujan Grisham, Pearce push dueling anti-poverty proposals

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico gubernatorial hopefuls Democrat Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican Rep. Steve Pearce are pushing dueling economic plans aimed at tackling poverty in one of the nation's poorest states. Lujan Grisham released last week her "7-point plan" that would address poverty by raising the minimum wage to $10 per hour statewide and adding more regulation against payday lenders. Pearce is scheduled Monday to unveil a new proposal he said would create jobs and increase investment in New Mexico. An annual report in June showed New Mexico fell to last place in child well-being as the number of children in the state living in poverty and without health insurance increased. The Kids Count analysis also found that 30 percent of New Mexico children were living at or below the federal poverty level in 2016.