To you and all Freepers in that area, what things would help improve this somewhat dismal-sounding statistic?
Electing a freedom-loving governor and state legislators. Dems control all positions in the state - Governor, legislature, judiciary.
In fact the current governor MLG has made things worse the past four years by following California on rules and regulations, especially climate change. New cars and trucks will have to have CA-style emission controls in a few years (can't be registered if bought out of state), reliable fossil fuel generating plants being shuttered in favor of wind and solar (only a delay in closing the Four Corners PNM coal plant is keeping NM from CA-style brownouts and blackouts this summer, but beware next year).
NM is #2 in oil and gas production but while enjoying the income, Dems are putting strict controls on emissions, even stricter than the Fed EPA, causing small operators to plug wells while big operators spend millions to retrofit or pay millions in fines. God forbid you have a 5 barrel crude or salt water spill.
However, MLG touts pot farms and sales to replace O&G revenue and encourages abortion clinics to relocate their baby-killing operations from states like TX and OK to NM where all restrictions on abortion up to the moment of birth have been removed by the legislature this past session.
NM has a gross receipts tax where taxes from about 5 to 7+ percent are applied to all goods and services. You need your car repaired? Technician labor is charged the tax. Your clothes dry-cleaned? Pay the tax when you pick them up. Basic food at the supermarket is exempt but beer/wine is taxed. Have a meal at the restaurant, pay a tax before you tip the waiter.
The basic philosophy is that New Mexico residents are too stupid to know how to govern themselves and therefore Big Gov has to do it, and of course government pays for health care, food, and housing support for low income earners so actual income from low paying jobs goes to buy that high priced fancy black pickup or SUV.