El Prospero: Leveling the playing field for hardworking New Mexicans

New Mexico is at a crossroads. We’ve heard that before. But our challenge is even more basic than that. We need to fundamentally change the trajectory of our state.

While we’ve seen positive economic signs across the country, the picture in New Mexico remains stark. Our state’s unemployment rate is higher than the national average, and we are still experiencing net job losses compared to prerecession levels. Given slow wage growth, many hard-working families feel as if the economic recovery has left them behind.

America is the richest country on Earth. Yet, too many families are struggling to make ends meet in our state. One in five New Mexicans lives in poverty. And when parents struggle, children do too. New Mexico ranks 48th in the nation for child poverty — a rate that increased from 28 percent in 2012 to 30 percent in 2013.

That’s why my priority is to level the playing field for hardworking New Mexico families. We must break the cycle of poverty, invest in early childhood education and workforce training and find opportunities to diversify our state’s economy. Federal spending will remain tightly constrained in the coming years, so solutions will have to be generated here at home. We need to take a holistic approach to addressing the needs of children and their parents. Leaving either the child or the parent behind decreases a family’s chance at success.

In the coming weeks, I will be introducing legislation to improve two-generation outcomes in education, health care, job training, childcare, and a range of other vital government services to simultaneously improve community outcomes while saving taxpayer dollars. By removing the silos, we create a two-generation approach to breaking the cycle of poverty.

But there are steps we can take right now to increase opportunities for all New Mexicans. It’s time to invest a sustainable percentage of New Mexico’s Land Grant Permanent Fund in early childhood education. Expanding access to high-quality early childhood education generates significant returns on investment for our state. Ensuring our students are receiving a world-class, affordable education at every age, and no matter where they come from, isn’t just about improving the wellbeing of our children. I believe it’s also the surest way to rescue our struggling economy.

If we truly want to create a climate in Doa Ana County and across New Mexico that attracts businesses and entrepreneurs, we also need to better equip our students and workforce to compete for the jobs of the future— especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Additionally, we must broaden participation in STEM to more women and girls and Hispanic and tribal youth.

Focusing on job training and workforce development will also have significant and lasting impacts on our economy and ensure New Mexicans have the opportunity to gain the skills they need to compete for quality, living-wage jobs. Continued partnerships between the Las Cruces Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, New Mexico State University, Doa Ana Community College, local schools, and the small business community play a tremendous role in accomplishing this goal.

Together, let’s make sure that everyone has a fair shot at contributing to a brighter future for the Land of Enchantment.