New Mexico doesn’t have a resource problem — it has an accountability problem

New Mexico was recently named the worst state in the nation to raise a family. For the career politicians in Santa Fe, this is a PR crisis to be managed with excuses. For me, as a father raising a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old in Rio Rancho, it is a moral failure that demands a total overhaul of our state’s priorities.

We are told that being 50th in education and family income is an "unavoidable reality" of our geography. That is a lie. New Mexico is sitting on record-breaking natural resource wealth and a $30 billion permanent fund. We don’t have a resource problem; we have an accountability problem.

The current administration has grown the state budget by billions, yet our streets are less safe and our schools are falling further behind. My opinion is simple: the "Santa Fe Way" is bankrupting our future.

The most regressive part of this failure is the gross receipts tax (GRT). It is a "pyramid tax" that punishes local small businesses while rewarding out-of-state corporations. We are an island of double-taxation in a sea of competitive neighbors like Texas. It is my firm belief that we must use our massive state surpluses to "buy back" the tax burden from our citizens. We must move toward a 0% GRT model that gives every working family an immediate pay raise. Anything less is just subsidizing government bloat at the expense of your grocery budget.

Furthermore, our infrastructure shouldn't be a reward for political loyalty. Rio Rancho is the fastest-growing city in the state, yet we are forced to "negotiate for crumbs" to get basic road repairs. I am calling for an end to the secret capital outlay system and the implementation of a merit-based infrastructure portal. If the data shows a road is dangerous or a corridor is growing, it gets funded — no "handshakes" required.

As a man in recovery, I also know that you cannot "manage" a crisis into submission; you have to solve it. Our "revolving door" justice system is a slap in the face to victims. We must be fearless against traffickers while being compassionate toward the victims of addiction. This isn't just about "awareness" — it’s about a legislative mandate to prioritize public safety over the comfort of repeat offenders.

I didn't move my family back home to look for an escape route. I’m staying because I’ll be damned if I raise my children in a state that I didn't fight to fix. I’m not asking for your permission to manage the decline; I’m asking for the opportunity to lead the turnaround.

It’s time to stop apologizing for New Mexico and start demanding a state that finally works for the people who live here.