Increment of 1 Press Release

Issued by Bernalillo County
Public Information Dept.
Liz Hamm
lhamm@bernco.gov
Office: 468-7026
Fax: 768-4444


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In an unprecedented effort, the Board of County Commissioners and the Economic Development Team are reaching out to local businesses through the “Increment of 1” initiative. The objective is to help several local businesses create one job over the next few months. To achieve that, Commissioners are interviewing a variety of local businesses to gather information which will be used to create an agenda for an upcoming Business Summit on January 12, 2010. The information will also be used to prepare a “Local Business Needs Presentation” to the State Legislature and the New Mexico Congressional Delegation.

“This initiative is very innovative and unique. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, especially now,” says Commissioner De La Cruz. “We have been meeting with several types of businesses, gathering their thoughts and ideas and finding ways to have the County work with them to expand.”

“Our objective is twofold; the information we gather will help us prepare a fundamental and beneficial agenda for the upcoming Business Summit scheduled for January 2010. If we can have 500 small to medium sized existing businesses create and fill one job over the next few months, it will have the same economic impact as a big company moving into our community and the positions may be more sustainable,” says Commissioner De La Cruz.

“The Commission is refocusing the County’s economic development efforts on local businesses, on giving our existing employers the support they need to grow and prosper,” said Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins. “We will continue to attract new employers to this region, but we are putting our local businesses first.”


NEWS CONFERENCE

DATE: Thursday, November 5, 2009

TIME: 10:00 a.m.

LOCATION: New Mexico Foods
3041 University Boulevard, SE


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