Monday, February 14, 2011

The Basics

One thing you have to be aware of as a leader in New Mexico is where  your bread is buttered.  Susana Martinez in her poorly written state of the state speech basically said that government doesn't create jobs.  Recycled Congressman Steve Pearce says the same down south in his district.  Both of these leaders seem to hate government with a passion, but the fail to see its importance in New Mexico.

Fully one quarter of all jobs in our state are government jobs.  From the fireman to the school teacher to the physicists and eggheads at our national labs and military installations, this is a government job state.  And then there is another 25% of the jobs that deal with government agencies.  From supplying paperclips to building half billion dollar construction projects at Sandia Labs and Los Alamos Labs.

So, when these ill informed leaders want to cut the heart out of New Mexico's economy while giving the oil and gas industry subsidies, someone is bound to notice.

6 comments:

Rodney said...

"half billion dollar construction projects"...Try $5.8Billion. That's the latest estimate for a replacement Chemical&Metalurgy "Research" building at LANL. Curious euphamism though - CMR, for a factory to build nuclear weapons triggers, or PITS as they're known in the nuclear bomb business.

Anonymous said...

Your right Jim. It is a government job state. That needs to change as as NM and the Feds cannot afford pay for all those jobs anymore. And don't say increase "revenue enhancements" , er, I mean taxes. What NM needs is more entrepreneurs and companies doing business in New Mexico. I would prefer to see a couple more of the likes of Intel quit frankly. Why can't we do that?

Anonymous said...

Oh wait, doesn't Intel get tax property tax breaks and other incentives from the state? Why would you want more of that? Look before you leap.

Rodney said...

APRIL 27, 1998:
http://weeklywire.com/ww/04-27-98/alibi_feat1.html

Intel made news all across the country when it received a record $8 billion Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB) from Sandoval County in September of 1995. It was the largest bond of its kind in the history of the United States for a company whose revenues last year exceeded $1.5 billion.

Anonymous said...

Ah, Intel Bashers! Hey Jim, your starting to get more comments. Nice work.

Jim Baca said...

Actually, I like Intel a lot and feel the incentives really paid off. This is how government does create jobs in a partnership with business.