Report says NM needs more job growth

A report to lawmakers says New Mexico needs to create about 16,000 jobs annually over the next decade to keep pace with population growth, reduce unemployment and offset future jobs losses if the state wants to return to 2007 pre-recession employment levels.

 The Legislature's Jobs Council was given the assessment Monday by a private consulting firm that outlined possible job creation proposals for lawmakers to consider, including increased spending on marketing by the Economic Development and Tourism departments and creating a "closing fund" for economic development projects. 

The consulting firm told lawmakers that New Mexico is capable of creating 160,000 jobs during the next decade, but not enough is being invested currently in job creation.

Report says NM needs more job growth