Short Current Essays: NM Jobs: It's Not Working! Do It Some More!

Another Republican Who Still Doesn't Know That

They Lost the Election

Hmmm. Rio Rancho or the Round House?

Okay. The 2012 ballot results are just "chuck full of clues" which might shed light on what folks are thinking. If we were to form a rough, conjectural estimate, hypothetically of course, of what voters were not thinking, it might include some of this stuff.

Voters are really tired of corporations telling them that if they'd just lower taxes, the economy would get better,

Heh heh, that "they would make the economy better."

Voters are also getting tired of Republican politicians telling them things like this just because a corporate "contributor" said it.

Voters are exhausted after surviving a massive tax cutting scam that left a handful of corporatists and oligarchs knee deep in dough while the rest of the economy collapsed -- while the personal wealth of voters plummeted 40% in a matter of weeks.

Now, while the hill billies and bigots who comprise the Republican base might be willing to go along with this gang rape for another decade, most normal folks have had it. We, "normal folks" have pretty much lost interest in the heavily soiled tea bag ideology of talking points, implied threats and brazenly opportunistic politics. Our problem, most likely, is that we keep winding up being the "opportunity."

MeanMesa is not one of the three dozen New Mexicans who actually reads the Rio Rancho Observer, so we have to thank Dave, one of our regular visitors, who sent this along.

This little jewel fits right in with MeanMesa's series on NMW - New Mexico Works. [Read the article here. ]

"Wean us from the federal government trough."

You've got to be kidding ... right?

Rio Rancho Observer

Our View: Support Job Plan

January 13, 2013

[no by line]

During the Rio Rancho Economic Development Corporation’s annual meeting in October, Intel Vice President of Technology and Manufacturing David Baglee said New Mexico’s corporate tax structure is at a disadvantage compared to neighboring states.

The current corporate income tax formula factors in payroll, property and in-state sales to determine net profit subject to taxation. Baglee suggested that for the state to become more competitive, it should just tax in-state sales.

Gov. Susana Martinez must have been listening. While addressing local chambers of commerce on Jan. 3, she rolled out her New Century Jobs Agenda that included what has been called a “single sales factor” that would only tax products and services sold within the state. And she outlined a plan to reduce corporate income taxes from 7.6 percent to 4.9 percent for companies generating more than $1 million in net income.

In her speech, Martinez pointed out that because the state depends on federal tax dollars, it will get hit disproportionately by cuts in federal spending. By making the tax structure more corporate-friendly, the state can begin to transition its economy from a dependency on government funding to job-creating businesses.

While any kind of tax cut will affect the amount of revenue the state collects, the long-term advantage of making the corporate rates competitive with surrounding states will encourage larger corporations like Intel to make long-term investments in the state. Martinez suggested that the new rates should be implemented during a four-year period.

Other aspects of the governor’s jobs agenda include: $10 million to fund the Local Economic Development Act for recruiting companies to the state; $4.75 million for hiring and training new employees through the Job Training Incentive Program; refining the capital outlay process for state infrastructure projects; passage of an “informed consent law” for spacecraft manufacturers and supplies; and increased investment in the New Mexico MainStreet program to preserve downtown historical and cultural locations.

When our legislators convene at the Roundhouse this week, they should help move Martinez’s job agenda forward. These are programs that we can all benefit from, and they ensure that companies such as Intel continue to wean us from the federal government trough.

We've Really, Really, Really Had Enough

MeanMesa encourages all our visitors to take a look at our NMW series of posts on real economic growth for our state. We have been through these thinly disguised schemes enough times already to be intimately familiar with this latest pitch from some ALEC parasite. You know, "intimately familiar" like a rape victim is "intimately familiar."

Come on, Governor. We're already walking bow legged.

Lowering corporate tax rates is not what will fix the "poorest state in the union." If you want to be Governor, you'll have to actually think.