Over the years with the Business Journal

New Mexico Business Journal, Nov, 1996 by George Hackler

Rudolfo Anaya Author

A STREAMLINED GOVERNMENT

In 1976, we began to reorganize the executive branch of government from 112 agencies and hundreds of boards and commissions to a twelve member executive cabinet.

I stated then that this reorganization effort, implemented to meet the changing needs of state government was only the beginning, and while future administrations might face the need for modification, it was the plan our government needed to take New Mexico through the rest of this century and into the 21st.

Jerry Apodaca Governor of New Mexico (1975-1978)

ECLECTIC AND UNBELIEVABLE

We have seen an ever-changing population increase and mix and the urbanization of New Mexico. We have attracted new people and entirely new industries and our urban-sprawl continues.

We will see a maturing and more sophisticated approach to urban problems. We will see an absolute revolution in traditional education. Buildings will be out and computers and the Internet will be in. The changes will be both eclectic and absolutely unbelievable.

David Cargo Governor of New Mexico (1967-1970)

GROWTH IN THE SOUTH

The most important change to southern New Mexico in the past 20 years has been the loss of agricultural acreage to residential development. The result has been a gradual shift away from dependency upon agriculture as a primary source of economic growth.

I expect tremendous growth in southern Dona Ana County. An intermodal transportation system will connect American and Canadian trucking and trains with those in Mexico. The Santa Teresa Port of Entry and NAFTA will make Dona Ana County a primary manufacturing center in New Mexico. Continued growth will occur in Las Cruces in retirement, tourism and traditional business services. The Spaceport will continue its development into a strong regional center. Significant space missions will bring into the entire state "state of the art" space related companies.

John A. Darden Modrall, Sperling, Roehl, Harris & Sisk Las Cruces

FAMILIES IN FLUX

The most moving change in New Mexico during the past generation reflects national trends. More than technological breakthroughs, more than population explosions and mushrooming urbanization, transformed families have been the most striking alteration in New Mexico. Unless we find better solutions for familial dilemmas, we shall face similar sociocultural tensions in the next 20 years. We ought to pay more attention to fathers, mothers, and children than to faster computers, scientific research and economic growth.

Richard W. Etulain Center for the American West University of New Mexico

CHANGING CULTURAL MOSAIC

Among the many changes that have occurred over the past 20 years, probably the most important one has been the demographic changes due to immigration influx. Our state's population has changed dramatically both in numbers and in composition. We have been the destination of two great diverse waves of people. One has been the immigration of persons from other nations - largely from Asia and Latin America. The other is from within the United States - mainly "Anglo" Americans of upper-middle class status, the archetype being the much-discussed refugee Californian. The accommodation among the new elements of the population within our fabled "cultural" mosaic will most likely continue and perhaps even accelerate over the next 20 years. The results will drive changes in our arts, economics, education, environment and science/technology - and maybe even politics.