As a new year begins, New Mexicans have an opportunity to reflect on where we are and where we want to go. From business leaders across our state, one message is clear: New Mexico’s future depends on policies that support growth, innovation, and opportunity for communities large and small.

A strong business climate is not an abstract concept. It is how we attract investment, create jobs, and ensure families can build stable lives here at home. When companies choose New Mexico, they bring paychecks that support households, customers that sustain local small businesses, and long-term commitments that strengthen entire regions. Pro-business policies encourage entrepreneurship, help small businesses expand, and reinforce the backbone of both rural towns and urban centers.

Just as important, when businesses succeed, the benefits extend far beyond the private sector. Economic growth increases tax revenues that fund public priorities like schools, roads, public safety, and essential services all without placing new tax burdens on working families. A healthy business environment allows New Mexico to invest in itself.

Few states are as well positioned as New Mexico when it comes to business growth potential, including energy production, advanced manufacturing, precision farming and ranching, aerospace and transportation enhancements, and healthcare innovations. By leveraging our state’s strength responsibly, New Mexico can attract, retain, and power industries that depend on a reliable business climate to build, grow, and diversify our economy and lead in innovation.

Innovation, workforce readiness, and a stable, inviting business climate will determine whether New Mexico keeps pace—or falls behind. From advanced energy and aerospace and energy production, our state has the potential to lead in emerging sectors. To seize that opportunity, we must support business growth and invest in workforce training and quality education.

When businesses partner with schools, community colleges, and universities, everyone benefits. Students gain real-world pathways to good-paying careers, employers develop the skilled workforce they need, and communities retain young talent that might otherwise leave the state in search of opportunity elsewhere. Building careers and futures in New Mexico should be the norm, not the exception.

Strong businesses also mean strong communities. Growth in business and energy translates into support for local nonprofits, investment in infrastructure, and expanded public services. Pro-business policies help ensure that the benefits of growth are shared broadly across industries, regions, and communities rather than concentrated in one place.

Supporting businesses is ultimately about supporting families from Albuquerque to Carlsbad to Raton, and everywhere in between. When employers thrive, communities are better equipped to meet local needs and invest in their futures.

As we look to the year ahead, New Mexico does not have to choose between honoring its rich culture and history and embracing a competitive, forward-looking economy. We can and must do both. A pro-business climate helps make the state more innovative, resilient, and self-reliant, ready to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.

By welcoming investment, supporting our current businesses and diversifying the economy, and nurturing innovation and talent, New Mexico can secure a bright future for generations to come. The new year offers a fresh outlook and with the right choices, a stronger, more prosperous New Mexico for all.

Signed,