Albuquerque – Today, Governor-elect Susana Martinez nominated Demesia Padilla to serve as her secretary of the Taxation and Revenue Department. Padilla is a licensed certified public accountant in New Mexico and Nevada and is currently the chairperson for the Bernalillo County Audit Committee. She graduated from the University of New Mexico: Anderson School of Management in the top five percent of her class and has owned and operated a tax preparation and consulting business for 18 years. Since November of 2007, Padilla has served as a commissioner of the New Mexico Gaming Control Board.
In nominating Padilla, Governor-elect Susana Martinez remarked, “Demesia is a proven expert in the administration of the state’s tax code, and I’m confident that she would oversee a taxation and revenue office that would provide quality customer service to New Mexico taxpayers. Together, she and I will promote reforms to our tax code to make it more understandable, business friendly and fair. Our tax structure should encourage business owners to invest in New Mexico and create high-paying jobs.“
In addition to her responsibility to oversee the administration of New Mexico tax laws, Padilla will also oversee the state’s motor vehicle code. “One of Ms. Padilla’s top priorities will be to advocate for legislation to prohibit the issuance of driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants and to revoke those licenses that have already been issued,” Martinez continued.
In response to her nomination as the secretary of the Taxation and Revenue Department, Padilla said, “I’m honored to have been asked to serve in Governor-elect Martinez’s Administration. She has directed me to ensure that the people of New Mexico are served by a taxation and revenue department that is transparent, fair and efficient. That will be my charge, and I intend to deliver on it.”