OPINION: NM can lead the way in making life more affordable for working families

While national pundits and politicians may still be arguing about all the factors that led to the outcome of the pivotal 2024 general election, one takeaway is objectively clear: Americans are struggling.

The current economic climate is only working well for a select few, while far too many folks across our country are straining to make ends meet. It is also clear that voters expect elected leaders to waste no time finding solutions to these challenges.

Inflation has ballooned worldwide due to the disruption of the global pandemic. In the United States, we also have to cope with the additional stressors of a broken profit-driven health care system, mounting personal debt, unattainable housing, skyrocketing childcare costs, monopolized industries leading to higher pricing of goods, and stagnant wages that have failed to keep up with inflation since the latter half of the 20th century. The situation is untenable.

I have not met a single New Mexican who has not been negatively affected by the rising costs of health care, housing, and basic necessities. We must come together to “right the ship” before we sink even lower into hopelessness and despair.

We all too often focus on our shortcomings, rather than our successes, but we are fortunate in New Mexico to have a legacy of bold leadership willing to solve complex problems with creative and courageous solutions. We have been recognized nationally for expanding the working families and child tax credits, offering tuition-free college educations to any New Mexican wishing to go, or return, to school, and being the first in the nation to constitutionally guarantee universal access to early childhood education.

Cleary, though, there is still much more work for us to do.

New Mexico is well-positioned to be a shining light for other states. In the Legislature, we can build on that legacy of bold leadership by working to rebuild our broken health care system to prioritize patient health outcomes over profits.

We can work to support independent small businesses, such as local grocers instead of capitulating to national monopolies who artificially keep the cost of living high.

We can continue supporting working families and our kids through modern tax policies and additional investments in education that will pay dividends for generations to come.

We cannot do any of this without you. We need everyday New Mexicans, from across the ideological spectrum, to join this fight to build an economy that works for the many instead of the few. It will not be easy, but I know we are up to the challenge. With your help, the Land of Enchantment will lead the way.

State Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil, D-Albuquerque, is the new Democratic majority whip in the New Mexico House of Representatives.