ACI president advises local business owners

Association of Commerce and Industry President Beverlee McClure said Wednesday New Mexico business owners should pay attention to the election.

With more than 100 seats up for election in the state Legislature and other governing agencies, voters will elect state officials responsible for establishing regulation and policies affecting business, she said.

“If we don’t get involved and they do not hear from us and we would not have a voice,” she said during a luncheon at the Clovis Civic Center sponsored by the association and the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce.

The association is a business lobbying group based in Albuquerque.

More than 50 business owners and local government officials attended the luncheon.

McClure, former president of Clovis Community College, said the event served as an impromptu civics class for business owners.

“It’s to educate business owners about the political process and get involved in the process,” she said.

As part of the event, Democratic candidate Ben Ray Lujan and Independent candidate Carol Miller spoke about their platforms and answered questions from business owners. Also running for the position is Republican candidate Daniel East, who was not at the event.

The candidates are running for the U.S. Representative, District 3 seat in the Nov. 4 election presently.

Responding to a question from an audience member, both candidates said they would not have voted for legislation that gave the treasury department $700 billion to buy mortgage-securities and other assets from troubled financial institutions.

Lujan said the bill did not include adequate oversight over the funds while Miller said it was unconstitutional.