Work Force Trouble

Over the longer term, beginning perhaps in 2010, some nasty and large trends begin to spell trouble for the New Mexico economy and just abut everywhere else. Start with the retirement of the Baby Boomers. The oldest Boomers turn 61 in 2007. Couple that with the failure of our public schools to produce high school graduates, much less graduates with a modicum of education.
With the Baby Boomers remaining the largest demographic group, we’re going to have more people leaving the labor force than entering. Immigration will help some, except that it will take a generation for the children of today’s mostly low skilled immigrants to move up the education ladder.
Obvious Plan A, a massive restructuring of the public schools, will require much pushing from elected officials.