High-tech and renewable-energy jobs for New Mexicans

Diane Denish

Jobs are not just an issue in a campaign – they are what helps people get up in the morning, they put food on their dinner tables and put their kids through college.

We are in the midst of a global economic slowdown not seen since the Great Depression. New Mexicans are hurting.

I was a small business owner. I know what it was like to hire someone and give them a job. I also know the pain of tough times and having to shrink my company and workforce – and sometimes not paying myself just to keep the doors open.

That experience has taught me more than anything that we need leaders who are focused on creating a foundation where job creation can flourish here in New Mexico.

My opponent offers a lot of sound bites and a few paragraphs about how she’d create jobs. Well, I know it’s a little tougher than that. Creating jobs is hard work – and in this economy it will take an intense focus – every single day.

And it will also take bold and innovative ideas. That means taking advantage of our natural gifts to build a high-wage economy.

That’s why I propose a two-prong strategy for long-term job creation and the development of new industries. Read my entire plan here.

Innovate New Mexico

First, we have fantastic federal and higher-education resources that we simply must take better advantage of.

That’s why I propose starting a new, statewide high-tech development corporation – Innovate New Mexico – modeled after other successful organizations. It will provide financing, grant support and technical assistance to New Mexico-based high-tech startups.

Innovate New Mexico’s main goal will be to support high-tech spinoff companies incubated by our national labs and research institutions, providing the technical support that will turn ideas into jobs.

Second, creating jobs from the sun – and from all of the other renewable resources that can put New Mexico at the forefront of a green-jobs revolution.

Saving energy and creating jobs – that is what this is all about.

The strategies

To do both, I propose the following strategies:

A state clean energy investment pool: By linking a portion of severance-tax revenue to incentives and programs for growing the clean-energy economy, we can target state capital to renewable-energy projects.
Create a center of excellence for green-energy development based at one of our research universities. This center of excellence will go hand-in-hand with the goals of Innovate New Mexico.
Expand tax credits for clean-energy companies. Increase the Industry Research and Development Tax Credit to 10 percent for clean technology businesses and offer favorable tax treatment to startup founders to encourage them to stay in New Mexico.
Fight for the expansion of special assessment districts for renewable energy. I will take on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make sure this innovative program, which puts renewable energy directly into the hands of average homeowners, remains a viable green-job engine.
Support the creation of a green-job business incubator.
Encourage the conversion government car fleets to high-efficiency and natural-gas.
Ensure all new state buildings meet green standards, expand renovation of existing buildings and put all government utility bills online for the public to inspect.
Invest and bond for renewable energy transmission capacity so that New Mexico can sell its renewable power to other states.
Promote and develop deep-source geothermal energy using spent oil and gas wells. This new effort would be a great way to engage oil and gas companies in the green-energy revolution and create jobs in the oil patch – turning pump-jack jobs into renewable energy jobs.