NEWS RELEASE: NM Tax & Rev budget aims to improve security and customer service

Michelle Lujan Grisham

Governor

Stephanie Schardin Clarke

Cabinet Secretary

Media Contact: Bobbie Marquez

bobbiej.marquez@tax.nm.gov

(505) 469-5830

February 7, 2025

Taxation and Revenue Department budget aims to improve security and customer service

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department next week will ask state lawmakers to grant a $140.6 million budget request aimed at improving security and services for taxpayers and local governments.

Cabinet Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke will present the department’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget to the House Appropriations and Finance committee on Monday and the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday.

The Executive Budget Recommendation includes three one-time budget requests focused on system improvements. The budget request seeks $5.6 million for the Revenue Processing Division to replace aging imaging and data capture software, and $2.5 million to purchase a data analytics solution. These purchases would lower processing times, identify fraud, catch errors, and improve the department’s overall workflow and return processing times.

The department is also requesting $1.4 million to replace the paper-based vehicle titling system with electronic vehicle titling. Electronic vehicle titling would modernize systems and result in a more secure and efficient process.

Another budget priority is reducing the department’s 20 percent vacancy rate in an effort to improve security and customer service.

“Job vacancies at the Taxation and Revenue Department remain a stubborn challenge, which is why we must offer more competitive pay and a rewarding work environment. My goal is to make certain that this Department has the staff needed to ensure excellent service to our customers,” said Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke.

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