NM brain drain article (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: sales, rental, mortgage)

[desert sun]

Originally Posted by ApartmentNomad

I did not intend for that to have any sort of negative connotation. (Does it really ordinarily come with that?) It was lazy short-hand for something like: "those born or raised in New Mexico." Anyway, I apologize if it was offensive, but I didn't mean anything negative by it.

The article still suggests that there is something about the education or culture or something here that is making it harder for people to compete. Or perhaps New Mexicans have a prejudice against New Mexicans in some cases. (I'm not being facetious. That would be one possible explanation for some of these observations.)

Alcantara also found that native-born New Mexicans are more likely to live in poverty than are people who were born elsewhere and migrated to New Mexico, regardless of educational attainment. Even when controlling for ethnicity, migrants fared better than native-born residents, she said.

. . .

The high-paid migrants also get paid more money than similarly educated native New Mexicans. Neither Keller nor Alcantara can explain it.

I also think desert sun's point is legitimate. Yes, things change and Hispanics have "only" lived here for hundreds of years, but that's long enough to have had an enormous impact, and it's a long time in terms of the history of the United States (as the United States). Also, non-Hispanic/non- Native American outsiders are frequently at least partly attracted by the distinctive culture here (or aspects of it), and yet too large an influx of such outsiders would tend to erode that culture.

(Of course, I tend to be very leery of arguments of this sort when they are used to defend WASP culture against the influx of immigrants. Maybe this is a liberal double standard.)

As an Anglo new-comer, of course, there's a little irony in my agreeing with the point. (And incidentally, it took me almost a year and a half to find a job after moving here, so I don't consider myself some sort of high-powered hot shot from out of town against whom native New Mexicans have no chance in the job market.)

im glad you understand what Im saying, I mean it in no way to be rude or to discriminate or anything of that nature, Im giving suggestions and anyways the views are gonna be different when dealing or getting opinions of those from out-of-state and those who are born and raised NM natives who have grown up with the culture and the ways of our state.

[desert sun]

Originally Posted by Santa Fe

Is anyone really interested in seeing the contemporary versions of these cultures?

Where do the tourists go? The northside of Santa Fe which is about as authentic as a Disney Land. How many tourists go to Espanola to see the real thing? And to discover that Hispanics shop at Walmart and Walgreens just like everybody else. And that nobody goes to the Plaza.

I doubt many tourists go to Espanola, but they need to, when I go out of state, I hit up some tourist spots but for the most part I will visit the non touristy parts of town, eat at non-touristy restaurants and try to view the city as a local, I actually kinda hate touristy places.

[funkymonkey]

Does anyone happen to know how this information compares with other states? From what I can tell, Americans like to move, and a lot of people move to other states. Is there any inclination that NM is significantly higher than most other places in this regard?

[Santa Fe]

Originally Posted by desert sun

I doubt many tourists go to Espanola, but they need to, when I go out of state, I hit up some tourist spots but for the most part I will visit the non touristy parts of town, eat at non-touristy restaurants and try to view the city as a local, I actually kinda hate touristy places.

Agreed. I personally go to Espanola frequently for shopping, restaurants, etc. The New Mexican restaurants are the real thing there.

[Tim Rankin]

Originally Posted by funkymonkey

Does anyone happen to know how this information compares with other states? From what I can tell, Americans like to move, and a lot of people move to other states.

I found this article funkymonkey, and although it's a couple years old, I think it highlights what you allude to...that many states are affected by this problem.

States work to plug 'brain drain'

When one considers that:

1) NM overall has a net inflow of brainpower, and also that
2) the Intermountain West is thought to be the next area of the US where significant growth will occur [eg. Heritage Foundation study previously posted on NM c-d]

I think the correct conclusion is that the state is doing o.k.

The wild card is that due to the continuing financial crisis, it's hard to know how the chips will ultimately fall. Lots of $$$ are being thrown around by the feds, with some areas benefitting more than others. There are also numerous states that were previously doing quite well, and now have extremely high unemployment levels [eg. Oregon, several southeastern states].

[bongo]

I'm a New Mexican who lives in Alaska and not so long ago there was a very similar article about the proverbial brain drain of young Alaskans leaving the state. In fact, high school students with high grades are given scholarship incentives at state universities to try to keep them at home.

"How ya gonna keep them down on the farm after they've seen Paris...?"

Isn't it just human nature to want to step outside one's land of origin to the great unknown!?

[rwjoyak]

For several years now some so-called authorities have been talking about how more and more workers will be able to work anywhere, due to the spread of telecommuting options, better web connectivity, etc. I'd agree that the % of such work-anywhere folks is higher than ever, but I also think that % is still pretty low. And likely to remain there, barring additional technological advances and other changes in how companies view and use their workforces.
I recently found myself one of the lucky work-anywherers and am planning on moving to NM as soon as our house sells. This gives me an interesting perspective on this thread and others about low wages, etc. in NM. This brought a few questions to mind that I thought I'd throw out for fun and contemplation:
1. If earning a decent wage to live on weren't an issue in living in NM, how much influx in population do you think there would be?
2. And would this be good or bad for ABQ and other places in NM?
3. How do you see the % of work-anywherers growing (or shrinking) in the future and will this be a significant driver in fueling possible growth in NM population? And keep more "brains" from leaving?
4. If you're not currently living in NM, and could move there and work long distance for an out-of-state company that pays you enough to live on, would you move?
5. For anyone wanting to move to NM, have you thought about asking your current company if you could work long distance for them from NM?

[mike0421]

I think what some might be overlooking is how business-unfriendly this state is, with regard to taxation, prinicipally, the capital gains tax. This tax adds about a 21-22% load on any good or service produced, when it comes to the final product being delivered. Consider, for instance, the difference in average house price in New Mexico versus Texas. That difference is because home builders have to recoup the cost of materials that are remitted to the state in the form of capital gains taxes. You wonder why businesses that offer high quality, highly skilled jobs move to states that are business friendly, such as Texas? There is more profitability to run a business in a state such as Texas, and the people who are educated are going to move to these places, where the good jobs are. New Mexico, as I see it, has its good jobs mostly tied to government entities, in the form of contractors. Governments aren't competitive, and will absorb that value-added tax that corporations pass onto them. Consequently, the only highly lucrative, skilled companies are tied into these entities, support services contractors. You find them attached to such entities as the Los Alamos laboratories, Kirtland or Holloman, WSMR, or NASA. But these hi-tech industries are in large measure, limited to support these government entities. You don't see many businesses looking to relocate here, independent of government, because the state is just not business-friendly. Consider Microsoft, which almost was headquartered in Albuquerque. Why did Bill Gates ultimately spurn New Mexico and instead take business to Washington State? Think about all the high quality jobs the state lost because of that decision.

[jaxart]

There is another factor that affects people who have "portable jobs" - as well as people in general living within NM. Lack of air connections. There is only ONE major airport in the state serviced by major airlines. If you don't live near either Albuquerque (or El Paso, TX), your options for commuter flights are very limited. I'll leave it to those more knowledgeable about commercial air travel in the state to flesh this out.

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by ApartmentNomad

... migrants fared better than native-born residents, she said.

That's also true on a national scale.

Immigrants to the US tend to earn more than natives.
It doesn't matter what their ethnicity is.

People who are comfortable with what they are used
to don't tend to move around to improve their lot.