Struggling Las Cruces business owner gets $20K grant after ‘paperwork got misplaced’
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - Long before 2020, Sara Armijo had a dream of opening her own business in Las Cruces: Lucky Dog Billiards. Starting a business is difficult in any circumstance, Armijo said. I think this pandemic has absolutely presented additional challenges.
She planned to open her business in March 2020, but the pandemic delayed it to September of 2020, as ABC-7 reported. She said she was open for fewer than eight weeks when the state closed indoor and outdoor dining again. We re hurting, Armijo said. It s really tough right now.
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The Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity is calling on the Las Cruces City Council to approve a resolution in support of a public bank in New Mexico.
Angela Merkert, the executive director of the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity, says the formation of a public bank will lead to greater economic health for the state.
“In New Mexico, state revenue and fees are deposited in large global banks. They use our deposits as leverage to make loans and investments in companies of their choosing to maximize profits for their stockholders,” Merkert said. “That doesn t help our local economy. If New Mexico had a state public bank for our revenues, our taxes and our fees, that bank could use our deposits as leverage to make loans for the problems of our communities including infrastructure, small businesses, health clinic enhancements and more.”