Issue Position: Jobs and Economy

Issue Position

The primary reason why I decided to run for office was because my son, a talented video game designer, is not able to find a job here in New Mexico. Too many of our youth have had to leave the state to find employment. Not to mention the thousands of people who are still here looking for work.

New Mexico currently has the highest unemployment in the country. Only 2% of our children who leave the state for college or other training programs return to the state once they've completed their education due to a lack of job opportunities. And we are still in a situation where we are relying heavily on tax revenue from oil companies to generate revenue while at the same time loosening environmental regulations.

We won't be able to improve our economy by being cheaper than Arizona and dirtier than Texas.

So how do we get back on the right track?
Invest some of the billions of dollars in unspent capital outlay money on public works projects to help repair our aging infrastructure -- This investment will also help to create jobs immediately.
Use other unspent outlay dollars to build necessary community buildings -- Like a new adult hospital in Bernalillo county so that we will have enough resources to help critical patients.
Utilize our abundant natural resources -- New Mexico has an abundance of sun and wind. We also have very talented innovators who know how to develop renewable energy technologies. We should be leading the country in this industry.
Increase trade with our neighbors to the south -- New Mexico can be a center of commerce with Mexico and Central America.
Invest more in local business before we give huge tax breaks to out of state corporations -- We need to help our local business grow instead of luring out of state corporations to set up shop, not hire New Mexican workers, and then leave when they are finished with us.

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