© 2024 KRWG
News that Matters.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Las Cruces City Council Discusses Economic Impact Survey

http://youtu.be/k2Ry2OKPVo8

The first phase of the minimum wage increase in Las Cruces has been in place for over a month, and the city council is now trying to determine different ways to study the effects.

During a city council work session, two economic studies were discussed, so council members could be better informed to the community’s needs. Gary Camarano, Economic Development coordinator for Las Cruces says the economic survey could be the most in depth local economic study done in years.

“Collect information from our businesses, get a pulse of what’s going on with the businesses,” Camarano said. “And that will contribute to the healthy economy. That’s part of the business retention and expansion survey. We want to find out what their challenges are, where we can help them, what issues they are facing. Let them know that the community appreciates and supports them. Those type of things.”

He says they are looking into bringing in an economist to study the effects of the minimum wage, but it is difficult to study just one economic indicator.

“For example,” Lets say we started studying the impact of the minimum wage,” Camarano said. “Well, you know what happened in the last couple of months is a two dollar decrease in gasoline prices. How does that contribute to what actually spending would be? What would it look like without that drop for example, and how do you factor that in? So, it is a complicated issue. Perhaps, the business retention and expansion survey might be a better way to find out from businesses how it is impacting them.”

Councilor Nathan Small says that talking to the community could give them a good idea of the issues they have.

“They expressed concern, that they relayed to us, that studying the minimum wage can’t take place for at least a year, year and a half,” Small said. “And that the reliability of the data may not be what is helpful, may not certainly be iron clad. So absent that, we must be talking to citizens in our community.”

He says in addition to business owners, the workforce must also be surveyed.

“There must be an emphasis on talking with citizens, with workforce members,” Small said. “Not just with folks who own businesses, but also people who are employees and those who are job seeking here in our community.”

Small says that the business retention and expansion survey will give the council a better idea on what economic policies need to be created in the future.

“Just focusing on the minimum wage to the exclusion of both our other challenges and opportunities does a disservice to our local economy,” Small said.

Results from the business retention and expansion survey, as well as the survey on the minimum wage impact could take months to complete.

Samantha Sonner was a multimedia reporter for KRWG- TV/FM.