OPINION: More investigative journalism is a must

The Albuquerque Journal recently made appeals on its pages for donations to increase investigative journalism efforts. Even though the Rio Grande Foundation is in direct competition for limited donor dollars, we applaud the paper for focusing attention on investigative journalism currently.

The issue of investigative journalism is hot right now. Revelations of fraud in Somali daycare centers by independent journalist Nick Shirley and the response by many media outlets like CNN (which seems to be to investigate Shirley, not the fraud) only further highlights the corporate media’s unwillingness to investigate and report on the important issues facing citizens.

Before elaborating, it is worth noting that we deeply appreciate the Albuquerque Journal. It is family owned right here in New Mexico. They do a great job of giving a wide variety of people a platform on their editorial pages. But we have also frequently called out the media and others for not digging into critical issues facing our State.

To assist the Journal, the following is a top 10 list of issues we believe require further reporting by major media outlets in the year ahead:

1. Given what is happening in Minnesota regarding fraud in child care, what protections will New Mexicans have against similar fraud in our new “free” program?

2. Reports, including one by The Economist, have found that “free” child programs like the one being implemented in New Mexico harm children. What makes New Mexico’s program different?

3. With New Mexico general fund spending up 80% largely thanks to oil and gas growth since Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham took office, why haven’t New Mexico’s economic and social indicators improved?

4. Why do our neighboring states including Arizona, Colorado and Texas consistently outperform New Mexico on a variety of economic and social indicators with lower government spending per capita and absent an oil and gas boom?

5. According to the Legislative Finance Committee, “New Mexico’s film incentives are less effective at attracting private investment, cost more per job, and have a lower return on investment than other incentive programs.” With the film industry in a nationwide recession why do New Mexico politicians continue to spend money on film subsidies?

6. Why is New Mexico’s workforce participation rate so low and what can be done to increase it?

7. According to the LFC, increased labor force participation correlates with economic growth, crime reduction and increased average per capita earned income. Why isn’t New Mexico focusing on increasing workforce participation rates?

8. Why was New Mexico’s COVID regime so ineffective despite being so restrictive? What information did the governor and her team use to make their decisions during the pandemic? Was the education of our children a consideration in the lockdowns?

9. New Mexico is dead last in K-12 education according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress test despite New Mexico spending more than other states and having taxpayer-funded pre-K. Do we have solid evidence that pre-K is working? Is New Mexico fully embracing the successful Mississippi Model? What other actions should New Mexico undertake to achieve educational success?

10. Is there any evidence that “free” college will improve New Mexico’s economy or help us achieve better social outcomes?

Editor in Chief Jay Newton-Small is certainly correct that “one of the fundamental strengths of American democracy is a free press.” There will certainly be more and less important stories to cover in the New Year and beyond, but we believe that examining that our state government is very large and well-funded, but ineffective while the population of our state remains among the poorest in the nation is central to understanding nearly every other issue we face.

Paul Gessing is president of New Mexico’s Rio Grande Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan, tax-exempt research and educational organization dedicated to promoting prosperity for New Mexico based on principles of limited government, economic freedom and individual responsibility.