Unemployment up...and taxes could be too

The state's Department of Workforce Solutions reports this morning that New Mexico's unemployment rate was 8.3 percent in December. That means almost 5,000 people in the state lost their job last month. The percent of people without work is up from 7.8 percent in November, and from 4.7 percent a year ago.

The news puts more pressure on the Legislature this session to pass a measure that would prevent the state's unemployment trust fund from running out of cash by next year. The measure would increase what employers pay by 22 percent, enough to raise $20 million.

That measure, under which employers would pay an average of $190 a year in tax for each employee instead of $156, has cleared one committee and is pending in the House.