Committee hears support for two tax-credit bills aimed at bolstering local journalism; bills held for tax package

Senate Bill 110 (local journalist employment tax credit) and Senate Bill 111 (local news printer tax credit) were presented together before the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee and will be held for possible inclusion in a broader tax package.

Sponsor Sen. Daniel Wirth introduced the bills and said the measures build on earlier state support for local-news fellowships. "Private equity has arrived," he said, arguing consolidation and outside ownership have reduced newsroom capacity and local coverage. Wirth said SB110 would provide a tax credit equal to 30% of wages for qualifying journalists (up to specified wage and hiring caps) with a program-wide cap, and SB111 would offer a production/printer tax credit targeted at the small number of remaining in-state commercial printers.

Patrick Dorsey, identified by the sponsor as publisher of the Santa Fe New Mexican, told the committee the local news industry faces dramatic revenue declines: "Revenue produced by U.S. news publications has dropped more than 82% since 2000," he said, and noted local printing capacity in New Mexico has diminished to a handful of presses. Publishers and local news advocates who testified in person and online urged lawmakers to help preserve local reporting, saying local outlets increase civic participation and deliver emergency alerts to communities.

Committee members asked procedural questions; the sponsor said the bills are intended to be part of a tax package and would not be voted on separately in committee. The chair held both bills for potential consideration within the package. Advocates who testified included Robin Martin (Santa Fe New Mexican), Carol Clark (Los Alamos Vela Post), Stevon Gonzales (New Mexico Broadcasters Association), Leota Briiza Harriman (Las Vegas Optic), Brian Fantel (Albuquerque Journal), Belinda Mills (Las Cruces Bulletin), Rashad (New Mexico Local News Fund), Daniel Russell (Hobbs News-Sun) and Diana Alvesolar (New Mexico Local News Fund).

Patrick Dorsey and multiple local publishers urged lawmakers to choose transitional assistance rather than permanent subsidies. Dorsey said the credit “is not permanent funding, but assistance to give us breathing room to improve our business plans in the new reality.” No committee vote was taken; both bills were held for the committee's tax-package deliberations.