That’s exactly what is happening according to the Santa Fe Reporter.
It only makes sense. Santa Fe has a beautiful climate and very unique culture, but it also has incredibly onerous government regulations (the toilet mandate being just one) that make it likely that most good jobs are in government, the high minimum wage is another. A relative lack of jobs for young people and entrepreneurs makes things even more difficult. Lastly, folks like Santa Fe Rep. Brian Egolf view activities like mining as below them.
Making a community expensive to live in and not producing large numbers of new jobs is a recipe for population decline, so it should be no surprise that Santa Fe is starting to look more like a retirement community.
Because of the onerous government regulations and the high minimum wage, Santa Fe is on my “drive-by” list. When enjoying our ‘Land of Enchantment” I never include any stops in Santa Fe or when entertaining out-of state guests I discourage anything to do with Santa Fe. I find the arrogance of the Santa Fe political crowd to be repulsive and I will have none of it. I do not understand how Santa Fe voters are so easily conned into voting contrary to their own interests.