Rio Rancho's District 60 candidates agree on taxes, split on crime at Chamber forum
Two Republicans vying for House District 60 clashed over crime policy and juvenile justice Tuesday while finding rare agreement on tax reform and regulatory overhaul.
Rio Rancho voters choosing between incumbent Rep. Josh Hernandez and challenger Zac Anaya in the June 2 Republican primary heard both candidates agree on what’s holding New Mexico back — and disagree on how far to go to fix it — at a forum hosted Tuesday by the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce.
On taxes, both candidates called for eliminating New Mexico’s gross receipts tax in favor of a flat sales tax, arguing the GRT pyramids costs onto consumers and makes the state uncompetitive with neighbors like Utah, Colorado and Arizona.
“It is a hidden pyramid tax that destroys our small businesses and makes it almost impossible to hire,” Anaya said.
Hernandez, who co-sponsored a GRT reform bill in 2023 that stalled under pressure from municipalities and counties, warned the transition carries real risk.
“Going from one day to the next would decimate roads and public safety for really three to five years,” Hernandez said, adding that the state’s $60 billion-plus in sovereign funds should be redirected to families rather than new spending.
The sharpest divide came on public safety. Anaya called for reinstating cash bail and tightening sentencing guidelines. Hernandez agreed the justice system is broken but pointed to a funding crisis rather than weak political will.
On juvenile crime, Anaya argued violent juvenile offenders should face adult-level consequences regardless of age. Hernandez took a more rehabilitative stance.
“We need to get them back on track,” Hernandez said. “They can see the light that there is something else besides crime.” But he agreed detention has a role: “We need to get them the help they need.”
Both candidates backed a sunset commission to eliminate outdated regulations, opposed paying legislators, and said New Mexico’s 58% workforce participation rate — lowest in the nation, Hernandez said — reflects deeper systemic problems.
For District 60 voters, the primary choice comes down to experience versus urgency. Hernandez cited 28 bills passed in six years and nearly $14 million in capital funding returned to the district, he said. Anaya, a real estate agent and first-time candidate, argued those results haven’t moved the needle. “We are still dead last in education. We are still number one in violent crime,” he said. “Obviously throwing money and throwing rules at these problems is not working.”
New Mexico House District 60 — Republican Primary
- Election date: June 2, 2026
- Early voting: May 5-30
- Candidates: Rep. Josh Hernandez (incumbent) | Zac Anaya (challenger)
- Learn more:
- Watch the full forum: Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce YouTube channel