New Mexico represented at the 2016 Conference of State Manufacturers Associations (COSMA): As the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) State Affiliate Group (SAG), NMBC represented New Mexico last week at the COSMA in Hershey, Pennsylvania. NMBC made some great contacts and will be working to bring some of the ‘best practices’ for manufacturing and other business development from around the nation to New Mexico to help improve our struggling economy.

Where have all the Heroes gone? We Know…

NMBC knows where to look – it’s right here in New Mexico. President Ronald Reagan once said, “Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.” NMBC couldn't agree more.

As the State Association Group for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), NMBC is well positioned to be a strong advocate for growth of this vital industry in New Mexico. The time is right with positive momentum sweeping the nation and so many in our state who need jobs.

Good news: Someone besides NMBC is talking about the fact New Mexico needs to fund classroom programs and teacher salaries – not more college buildings. NMBC is pleased to see that former Governor and current Chancellor at New Mexico State University Garrey Carruthers is saying NM has too many college campuses. That point has been made to voters by NMBC repeatedly over the past six years, most recently in 2016 when CNM asked for a tax increase to put up more buildings even though they already have 9 campuses within 25 miles of each other. Read the Carruthers article from the Albuquerque Journal HERE.

Know a Hero? See how to nominate them below.

2017 Heroes Banquet: The Annual NMBC Heroes Banquet will be on September 8, 2017, from 6pm – 9pm, at the Albuquerque Hyatt Regency. This uplifting banquet will honor fallen Heroes and their surviving family members as well as First Responders who devote their time, energy and talents to protect our families. We will also honor those from the community who work to expand free enterprise and improve the quality of life for all New Mexicans.

Independence Day celebrates the birthday of the United States of America. Founded July 4th 1776, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, America is celebrating its 241st birthday this year. Many Americans begin the holiday celebration today, with the official festivities on July 4.

The American ideal “…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” is as true today as it was when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.

Energy Week: President Donald Trump plans to talk about surging U.S. exports of oil and natural gas during a week of events aimed at highlighting the country’s growing energy dominance. “The fact that we’re no longer in the age of energy scarcity -- that we’re in the age of energy abundance -- positions the United States in a totally different place,” said Dave Banks, a special assistant to the president for international energy. “This gives access to affordable, reliable energy in the United States, and gives the U.S. a major competitive advantage.” Read more from Bloomberg.com HERE.

It requires courage and strength to take bold action, and that’s exactly what New Mexico needs to change our path. NMBC is proud to see the recent action taken by two Sandoval County Commissioners, Jay Block and David Heil, who proposed a Right to Work ordinance on 6/15/17. A draft of the ordinance will be available at a later date.

How many U.S. Forrest Service employees does it take to run a chipper? While in northern New Mexico near Taos recently, NMBC came across the above scenario. Apparently, it takes nine federal workers to handle feeding pine branches into a wood chipper. NMBC spends a lot of time talking about the need to reduce dependence on government programs in New Mexico. The other half of the equation is reducing government dependence on a bottomless pit of tax dollars that encourages waste and a ‘spend it so we can get more next year’ mentality.