Author: Marina

On this week’s interview, Paul discusses:

• The brain drain is sapping New Mexico of its youngest, smartest people.
• New Mexico’s unemployment rate has dropped hugely under the Trump Administration.
• That said, if Trump continues with the trade war, it could have significant, negative impacts on New Mexico.

On this week’s interview, Paul discusses:

• Eddy County will introduce Right to Work on Tuesday.
• Crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports are having a big, positive impact. Paul shares a lot of information on how oil and gas exports are growing rapidly. Paul also shares who those trading partners are and where our exports are going. Lastly, he explains how LNG exports are helping China clean the air.
• New Mexico gets downgraded by Moody’s. Paul explains what happened and why.

On this week’s interview, Paul discusses the results from New Mexico’s primaries and the dismal economic performance of Las Cruces (and relative performance of New Mexico’s major cities) in terms of job creation over the past year.

On this week’s interview, Paul discusses:

• What Paul is doing in Alaska and some common aspects of the Alaska and New Mexico economies.
• Chaves County went Right to Work becoming the 4th county in New Mexico to do so. What does this mean? What are the next steps both in Chaves County and beyond?
• A company named Holtec is looking for approval to put a nuclear storage facility in Southeast New Mexico. What does this mean and what kind of opposition has arisen?

Trade, Oil and “Right To Work”: Economic Issues in New Mexico

Paul recently talked with KRWG’s Fred Martino about a number of economic issues facing New Mexico:

• How could changes to NAFTA affect the state?
• Will an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision have an impact on public sector unions?
• How should New Mexico use its windfall from increasing oil prices and production?

On this week’s interview, Paul discusses:

• The plans by various Democratic candidates for land commissioner to raise taxes (in the form of royalty payments) on oil and gas producers on New Mexico lands. Paul further elaborates on the issue bringing in a report from the Canada-based Fraser Institute that ranks states and nations on their relative friendliness toward oil and gas development.
• The latest monthly data on job creation in Right to Work and non-Right to Work states. In April the trend towards many more jobs being produced in Right to Work states was restored.
• Federal tax reform is paying off right here in New Mexico. Americans for Tax Reform has collected the information. Paul discusses some of the details.
• The latest annual state GDP data are available for 2017. The news for New Mexico is not terrible. Our economy is growing, but it is not great. That growth is still extremely slow despite positive news from the Permian basin.

On this week’s interview, Paul discusses:

• Information about the new movie “Little Pink House.” This film is in theaters and has received praise from syndicated columnist George Will. The movie is about government abuse of eminent domain, an issue that the Rio Grande Foundation led reform efforts on in New Mexico.
• A majority of McKinley County’s three-Democrat county commission was unwilling to support Right to Work. One Commissioner, Bill Lee was a rock star and champion, but he couldn’t get a second to support him.
• What’s the latest on Right to Work in Chaves County?
• Another report, this one from Key Policy Data, rates New Mexico as a high tax state. How high do they see New Mexico’s tax burden relative to other states?
• How has or has not Gov. Susana Martinez been able to impact New Mexico’s tax burdens?
• The Rio Grande Foundation recently analyzed the wind industry and subsidies offered for the industry. Why is or is not wind a good idea? How could wind prove itself as a viable energy source?