[One of Six ways Democrats have improved life for New Mexicans]
Childcare costs in the United States are skyrocketing at a rate faster than inflation. Childcare alone can cost a family over $15,000 annually. An average couple can expect to pay $20,200 more for necessary expenses each year if they decide to have one child, and at least half of that will be for childcare alone. As a typical household in the United States earns just $3,400 more than their basic costs per year, this leads to a failure to “make ends meet.” The crisis in affordability pushes women out of the labor force.
According to a June 2026 poll from Associated Press, three-quarters of US adults see childcare costs as a “major problem,” but only about half think it should be a “high priority” for the federal government. As it has not been a high priority for the federal government, responsibility for solving the problem falls to states and cities.
New Mexico became a model for early childhood care and education when Governor Grisham signed the first universal childcare law in the nation this year. The legislation was written and sponsored by Democrats in the NM legislature. As the Governor stated, “All parents who need childcare can now get it.”
“Early childhood care and education is a public good,” said ECECD Sec. Elizabeth Groginsky. “By providing universal access and improving pay for our early childhood workforce, we are easing financial pressure on families, strengthening our economy, and helping every child learn in safe, nurturing environments. This is the kind of investment that builds equity today and prosperity for the future.”
Republicans, however, do not agree. Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Duke Rodriguez and two other failed Republican politicians filed a lawsuit to try to stop the program, decisively losing in New Mexico District court and the State Supreme Court. Republican candidate for governor, Greg Hull, will not clearly state his position on universal free childcare but has suggested it should be means tested.
https://www.brookings.edu: As childcare costs skyrocket, states need a new approach to help working families
https://searchlightnm.org/new-mexico-supreme-court-tosses-lawsuit-challenging-universal-childcare/