Tipping Point New Mexico podcast host Wally Drangmeister said that while New Mexico has space to grow, particularly in areas like Grant County, its development is hindered by federal land restrictions and political boundaries, with the real issue being the state's economic policies. Drangmeister made his statement in a recent episode of the Tipping Point New Mexico podcast.
"Delaware is a state that is 2000mi² and has a million people; just talk about where Delaware could grow," said Drangmeister on the Tipping Point New Mexico podcast. “Grant County, New Mexico, is twice as large as Delaware, so we certainly have space; we have space to grow. We have a lot of things that could work to our advantage. Now, the one thing that makes the state both larger and smaller simultaneously is that we have a lot of federal land; when that's used for productive purposes like oil and gas and ranching, it helps out, but a lot of it is off-limits.”
“Just look at Albuquerque," said Drangmeister. “It's not like a Greater Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex where you can grow in every direction; you have to plan it out a little bit because there are both natural and political boundaries that prevent things from happening. But again, that's not the real issue right now; the real issue is the fundamental economic policies that New Mexico implements.”
The latest edition of the podcast covered New Mexico's slow population growth, recent tax changes, and a draft clean fuel standard. It also discussed a rise in RailRunner ridership, Mayor Tim Keller's use of federal COVID funds for raises, 2025 legislative bills, Justin Trudeau's resignation, and former President Biden’s offshore resource restrictions.
Tipping Point New Mexico is a podcast hosted by Paul Gessing and Wally Drangmeister of the Rio Grande Foundation, focusing on public policy issues in New Mexico. The Rio Grande Foundation is a research institute promoting individual freedom, limited government, and economic opportunity to enhance liberty and prosperity for New Mexico residents.
This full episode is available on the Tipping Point New Mexico website and YouTube channel.
