OPINION: Trump promised to lower costs, he gave us chaos — as governor I’ll be a brick wall

President Donald Trump says affordability is a hoax. Yet, corporate CEOs continue to rig the system against working families and he gives them free reign. Trump is delivering chaos and uncertainty. I know what it’s like to stand up to Donald Trump, I did it in Congress during his first term and I rebuilt an entire federal department after he left it in shambles.

On top of that, I lived through the same challenges New Mexicans face now. I started working at 15 in Southeast Albuquerque at Zinn’s bakery. Later, I spent much of my adult life living paycheck to paycheck as a single mom. I had a front row seat on the receiving end of a broken system.

It’s expensive to be poor.

And Donald Trump isn’t making life for anyone any easier — he’s stealing the benefits so many rely on to stay afloat. It goes without saying that this doesn’t just hurt individuals, it also hurts businesses. I’m running for governor because it shouldn’t be this hard. We need leaders who are laser-focused on lowering costs while opening up opportunities for New Mexicans to get ahead.

Our clean energy economy is a great example. I hear all the time, and see it in my own bills, utility costs are also rising. Here in New Mexico we have over 300 days of sunshine, ample wind and stores of geothermal potential. If we harness what’s in front of us, New Mexico can become the energy capital of the country all while creating high-paying jobs for New Mexicans.

Renewable energy investments are also proven to lower utility costs for families. The Sun Zia project, which I pushed through as the secretary of the Interior, is bringing 900 wind turbines to central New Mexico and is expected to power over 1 million homes across the Southwest.

Beyond that, it brought thousands of union construction jobs and 100 permanent jobs to a community that has long been ignored.

But we cannot capitalize on opportunities like this if it’s too expensive for New Mexicans to live in their communities — rents across New Mexico are at an all-time high. The first step to driving housing costs down is to aggressively build more homes. If we streamline permitting processes, cut burdensome red tape and modernize our zoning regulations, we can cut down on construction time. It’s a fast, effective model that works. But it’s not just housing supply. We must crack down on malicious rent practices, establish more transparent tenant rights and require landlords to disclose all rental fees up front. My plan supports homebuilders, homeowners and renters alike and reduces costs for everyone.

New Mexicans aren’t just experiencing higher housing costs — it’s costs across the board. I want to cut taxes for working New Mexicans by expanding the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit and to provide tax credits for health care services. We can also work to bring down the cost of food by making it easier for local growers to supply local grocers, schools and food banks.

Moreover, I want to make these programs more accessible for working families by clearly communicating the programs they are eligible to receive. When I was secretary of the Interior, I managed a workforce of 70,000 career staff and managed an annual $18 billion budget — that is invaluable experience to address New Mexico’s economic challenges and deliver for New Mexico.

We can make government work better for businesses, too. New Mexico can lead in energy, film, tech, cannabis — offering opportunities for our kids to stay in New Mexico. To do that, my administration will prioritize finding the right balance between supporting burgeoning industries when necessary and getting out of the way when required.

For New Mexicans who want to start their own business, I want to launch an office of small business that will be a support for people looking to get the next big idea off the ground, coordinate efforts of other small business development programs and help fill the gaps created by federal funding cuts, and provide an online clearinghouse for grants, capital and access to state resources. When my child was young, I started my own salsa business. On the days when Somàh wasn’t at preschool, I brought them to work. That was a lot easier when I was in charge.

We’re fighting for a New Mexico where families can feel safe, pay their rent and put food on the table. We aren’t settling with just getting by — our vision builds opportunity and strengthens the industries that make our economy strong. Things are hard right now and the federal government isn’t making it any easier, but we can work together for a New Mexico that works for New Mexicans.

Deb Haaland is a former U.S. congresswoman for New Mexico and the former secretary of the Department of the Interior. She is a New Mexico Democratic gubernatorial candidate.