Governor touts plan to spur job growth

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Gov. Susana Martinez says she wants the state's New Year's resolution to be to get rid of its addiction to federally funded jobs.

On Thursday Martinez told a crowd of business leaders the state can't keep relying on government jobs and that means the state will have to start getting competitive to attract job creators to the state.

“We've witnessed a sharp decline in government jobs we've grown to depend on," she said, noting thousands of government and government-related jobs lost in the past year.  “We can bury our heads in the sand and forfeit our fate to Washington…or we can get to work and level the playing field."

The governor’s plans to improve the state’s economy include investing in infrastructure, new tax incentives for small businesses and lowering the tax rate businesses pay to the state to match that of neighboring Arizona.

The latest job numbers show New Mexico was one of a handful of states showing negative job growth last year mostly due to losses in the federal sector.

Time will tell how legislators react to it once the session starts.

Sen. Tim Keller, D-Albuquerque, calls Martinez’s plan is a starting point but says the biggest issue is how to pay for the tax breaks and incentives.