The Government “Gravy Train” An Analysis of New Mexico’s Private versus Public Sector Employment and Compensation (Updated)

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2008, New Mexico’s state and local governments employed 167,671 people (full and part time), or 20.2 percent of the state labor force. Of the total, New Mexico state government employed 60,469 people and local governments employed 107,202 people. State and local employees were paid $8,335,060,000 in total compensation, or 17.9 percent of earnings (wages and salaries plus benefits).