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1953
Gary E. Johnson was born in Minot, North Dakota. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of New Mexico in 1975.In 1974 he began seeking construction and remodeling jobs, which, in 1976, led him to found a successful construction company.
He was the first governor in the history of New Mexico to serve two consecutive four-year terms. In his first term, Governor Johnson cut taxes and reduced the number of state employees by 6 percent. He signed a $1.2 billion highway improvement package to upgrade 500 miles of state roads. He held growth of state government to around 4 percent. Under the governor's leadership, two new privatized prisons were built.
Governor Johnson's top priority was to improve education. Nearly a half billion more dollars were invested in education each year, and he initiated education reform through his For the Children's Sake plan. He is a nationally ranked triathlete and the first governor to compete in Hawaii's Ironman Triathlon.
Courtesy: National Governors Association (c) 2011. https://nga.gov. Accessed 2/6/2014.
Sources:
Governor Gary Johnson Papers, 1998-2002 (official papers)
For more information, please contact the New Mexico State Archives at 505.476.7948 or archives@state.nm.us.
Gary Johnson; Governor of New Mexico
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