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Mission Statement

We are New Mexico’s think tank.

Think New Mexico is a results-oriented think tank whose mission is to improve the lives of all New Mexicans, especially those who lack a strong voice in the political process. We fulfill this mission by educating the public, the media, and policymakers about some of the most serious challenges facing New Mexico and by developing and advocating for enduring, effective, evidence-based solutions.

Our approach is to perform and publish sound, nonpartisan, independent research. Unlike many think tanks, Think New Mexico does not subscribe to any particular ideology. Instead, because New Mexico is at or near the bottom of so many national rankings, our focus is on promoting workable solutions that will lift all New Mexicans up.

Consistent with our nonpartisan approach, Think New Mexico’s board is composed of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. They are statesmen and stateswomen, who have no agenda other than to see New Mexico succeed. They are also the brain trust of this think tank.

Think New Mexico began its operations on January 1, 1999. It is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. In order to maintain its independence, Think New Mexico does not accept state government funding. However, contributions from individuals, businesses, and foundations are encouraged, appreciated, and tax-deductible.

Visit our Transparency page to view Think New Mexico’s most recent audit, IRS Form 990, 501(c)(3) certification, and other important information.

Results

As an independent, statewide, results-oriented think tank, Think New Mexico measures its success based on changes in law or policy that we help to achieve. Our results include:

• making full-day kindergarten accessible to every child in New Mexico
• repealing the state’s regressive tax on food and successfully defeating efforts to reimpose it
• creating a Strategic Water Reserve to protect and restore New Mexico’s rivers
• establishing New Mexico’s first state-supported Individual Development Accounts to alleviate the state’s persistent poverty
• redirecting millions of dollars a year out of the state lottery’s excessive operating costs and into college scholarships
• reforming title insurance to reduce closing costs for homebuyers and homeowners who refinance their mortgages
• winning passage of three constitutional amendments to professionalize and streamline New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission
• modernizing the state’s regulation of taxis, limos, shuttles, and moving companies
• creating a one-stop online portal to facilitate business fees and filings
• establishing a user-friendly health care transparency website where New Mexicans can find the cost and quality of common medical procedures at any hospital in the state
• enacting the New Mexico Work and Save Act to make voluntary state-sponsored Individual Retirement Accounts accessible to New Mexicans who lack access to retirement savings through their jobs
• making the state’s infrastructure spending transparent by revealing the legislative sponsors of every capital project
• ending predatory lending by reducing the maximum annual interest rate on small loans from 175% to 36%
• repealing the tax on Social Security for middle and lower-income New Mexicans with incomes under $100,000 as individuals or $150,000 as married couples
• enhancing the training and transparency of local school boards
• leading a campaign to make financial literacy a high school graduation requirement, now in place in 46 districts reaching nearly 48% of New Mexico students
• establishing a $2 billion permanent trust fund for Medicaid