Ninety-five percent of the money raised by state trust land leases goes to fund New Mexico’s public education.

Commissioner Garcia Richard was elected on the promise to leverage the mandate of the office to make more money and insure a better future for New Mexico kids. As the first educator to serve as Land Commissioner, and the former Chairwoman of the House Education Committee, Garcia Richard is uniquely qualified to do just that.

The Commissioner sits on the State Investment Council, which manages New Mexico’s $19 billion endowment in the Land Grant Permanent Fund. It is one of the largest funds of its kind in the country, supported through the money earned by the State Land Office, and provides more than a half billion dollars to public schools hospitals and colleges each year.

We have one of the largest funds in the country, yet our children are falling behind. New Mexico was ranked last in child well-being, second to last in child hunger, and first in a survey of the worst places to raise a child. We can do better, and the money raised on our state trust lands can help us turn the corner. Commissioner Garcia Richard is the first Commissioner in history to support legislation to use the Land Grant Permanent Fund for early childhood education. Study after study proves the benefits of early childhood education, not only to improve the lives of children and families, but to the economy as well.