The Foundation usually helps students, organizations, cultural programs and projects that might be considered charity, but now this non profit will start funding projects leading to economic development. It sort of begs the question, what is the purpose of the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce? What is the purpose of Mayor Berry's and Governor Susana Martinez's economic development teams? Is there so much desperation that they have turned to a charitable organization to come up with some job creation ideas?
This may be viewed as positive in that some new motivated players, not willing to sit by playing the fiddle in a fire, will get something done. And if they do, watch the Mayor and Governor show up at the news conferences.
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If you follow the link provided you read an overview that includes this:
"In a thriving local economy, businesses focus on collaboration instead of competition. This shift helps ensure that they, their peers and their employees have a strong future by allowing individuals and businesses to offer support for local businesses. An added benefit is the creation of new relationships between business owners. Such relationships are vital to make social, economic and environmental gains for New Mexico."
How revolutionary! If our conservative governor and mayor find out this is in there they'll steer clear of any news conferences. This is an entirely different ethos than what informs the politics of the governor and mayor and the chambers of commerce I've known, which is, don't stand in the way of profit in any way and hopefully everything will work out, and don't even ask businesses to pay taxes to support the infrastructure including the educational systems and governments that helps your business succeed. Don't worry about the other guy.
In fact we should quit encouraging the governor and mayor and chamber. The less they do the better. Support these guys, the Albuquerque Community Foundation.
The Albuquerque Community Foundation giving grants for economic and workforce development is abhorrent and disgusting. I for one will never give again to the United Way after hearing about this. The overwhelming image of United Way is they help charities, causes and people in need and not economic entities in it for a profit for themselves. These types of grants should be given by organizations like the Economic Forum or Chamber of Commerce, but not like the United Way that ostensibly solicits money for charitable causes.
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