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01-25-2010

SENATOR KELLER INTRODUCES MEASURE TO BENEFIT NEW MEXICO BUSINESSES

Santa Fe, NM – Today, January 25th, Senator Timothy M. Keller (D-Bernalillo-17) introduced Senate Bill 14 (SB 14), a measure designed to help the New Mexico economy by giving in-state businesses a preference advantage by narrowing the definition of what constitutes a "New Mexico resident business." According to Senator Keller, the bill has been drafted to conform to Governor Bill Richardson's Senate Message number 31.

"New Mexico businesses face a number of disadvantages in competing with out-of-state businesses when they go head-to-head for business under our state's Procurement Code. In some instances they pay gross receipts taxes that out-of-state businesses may not be liable for. And their advantage of knowing our state's economy and ways of operating are also sometimes not reflected in the way that the procurement process is set up to select contractors. SB 14 is an effort to remedy these and other factors by making it a more level playing field for our local New Mexico businesses at a time when we need to make sure we nurture our New Mexico economy," said Senator Keller.

SB 14 would amend the state Procurement Code to define a "resident business" as one that "is authorized to do and is doing business under the laws of this state and that:
-- maintains its principal place of business in the state; and
-- has staffed an office in New Mexico, paid applicable state taxes for two before the bid in question is awarded. SB 14 also amends the definition of "resident contractor" to strike language that previously put New York state business enterprises on a par with those of New Mexico.

"Given the economic downturn, we've got to try and create jobs. It just made sense to change these definitions that were written years ago to address very different conditions than exist at present," added Senator Keller.

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