In Southern New Mexico, we hear time and again about the need to create opportunities for our young people to stay, raise families, and live without fear that a car breakdown or health scare will push them into a financial crisis.
We hear from young men like Hugo, a skilled construction worker in Chaparral, who wants to stay close to his aging parents and keep hosting big family cookouts. But he doesn’t want to break his back for a job that doesn’t even pay his bills. Hugo knows his labor is worth more than the low wages he’s currently offered. We all know young people like Hugo – folks who want to build their lives here but worry about their financial prospects.
As Democratic state lawmakers, we’ve prioritized families like Hugo’s through policies that expand access to affordable housing, education and child care…