GUEST COLUMN: The next step forward

It’s been a tough few years for New Mexico — fire, floods, a pandemic and the aftermath of a pandemic — but also a period of rare opportunity in state government. Bolstered by a financial windfall from the oil and gas industry, intelligently and strategically invested, we have taken steps not only to ensure continued financial stability but also to protect the environment, support early childhood care and education, build behavioral health services and a health care workforce, expand broadband and make a college education essentially free to all New Mexicans.

But there’s still so much to do and, with revenue already slowing, it’s crucial that New Mexicans work together. We need ample supplies of affordable housing, reliable water systems and safe roads, a higher education system aligned with available jobs, and high-quality teachers in public schools. And we need to finish the job we’ve already started with health care and early childhood services. Our goal must be to give the next generation the education, support, quality of life and all the tools they need to succeed.

New Mexico needs collaboration among educators and business owners, manufacturers and farmers, and rural and urban communities if we want to accomplish all that we must.

Larger communities like Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Rio Rancho and Las Cruces will need to add more housing units, law enforcement officers and services as the population shifts to urban areas. Rural and frontier communities, like Vaughn, have significant infrastructure needs, especially for water systems that provide safe drinking water without leaks. Small communities like Las Vegas, Ruidoso and Raton, surrounded by natural beauty, need help preparing for and attracting the growing number of visitors who have discovered New Mexico as outdoor recreation destination. And throughout the state we need a functional road system and air and other public transportation so truck drivers can transport goods into and across our state, businesses can connect with customers worldwide, visitors can connect with us, and New Mexico families can travel safely to health care, schools, jobs and their loved ones.

Further, our future economic success depends on strategic planning that incorporates technology, automation and artificial intelligence. By preparing our youth for these technological advances, we can create a workforce ready to thrive in the industries of tomorrow. There are other hurdles we must overcome as well: repaying student loans, setting up small businesses, addressing child maltreatment, and supporting innovation.

We can accomplish all of this if we, regardless of our personal ideologies, work together. Our state has the resources, talent and determination to lead in education, health care, transportation, public safety and economic development, but it will take all of us.

Sen. Campos, a Democrat from Las Vegas who holds a doctorate in educational leadership and a master’s in guidance and counseling, has been a member of the Senate since 1991 and a member of the Senate Finance Committee since 1997. Campos is also a member of the Legislative Finance, Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy, and Water and Natural Resources committees. He has served as the senator from District 8 in northern New Mexico since 1991 and has served as president of Luna Community College, superintendent of the Las Vegas City Schools and mayor of Santa Rosa.