YOUTH AND ECONOMIC VISION Sunland Park is working to transform itself from a bedroom community of El Paso into a self-sustaining city with diverse economic opportunities. This transition requires careful attention to economic development and youth engagement, two priorities that Mayor Perea sees as interconnected for the city’s future. The current economic relationship with El Paso has historically led to revenue losses for Sunland Park. “We have always been a bedroom community to the city of El Paso, so we lost a lot of revenue to El Paso,” Mayor Perea explains.To address this challenge, the city is pursuing a multi-faceted approach to economic diversification, focusing on tourism development and the proposed port of entry project. The emphasis on revenue generation ties directly to the city’s ability to enhance quality of life for its residents. “Without any revenues, we can’t provide additional services and improve the quality of life of our citizens,” Mayor Perea notes.The recent addition of the cannabis industry provides “a little extra gravy to our plans,” but represents just one component of a broader economic strategy. Youth development is another key focus for the next four years, with the city working to strengthen its relationship with local school districts.The goal is to create an environment that nurtures young people and encourages them to remain in the community after completing their education. “We are working on establishing better relationships with our school districts and find better use of our spaces,” Mayor Perea says. The vision of Sunland Park encompasses more than the immediate economic gains.As Mayor Perea puts it: “If we can get people or the youth to grow within our community in a safe and healthy environment, but also stay after they get their education, I think we would have so much more to offer. And I think we are taking the right steps, and we’re headed in the right direction when it comes to that.” 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 02 SUNLAND PARK, NM
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