| | |  Editorials | Issues | December 2008 
Appointment of Richardson Could Help Border Economy
 Ramon Bracamontes - El Paso Times
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| | President-elect Barack Obama listens as Commerce Secretary designate New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, speaks during a news conference in Chicago, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008. (AP) | |
El Paso - The nomination of Bill Richardson as secretary of commerce should help spur economic development in the Borderland because the New Mexico governor has been working to improve business ties among El Paso, Southern New Mexico and Northern Mexico, officials said.
In naming Richardson as his choice for the job on Wednesday, President-elect Barack Obama called Richardson a leading "economic diplomat for America" who will be one of his key economic advisers.
"Bill has seen from just about every angle what makes our economy work and what keeps it from working better," Obama said.
Richardson, 61, previously was energy secretary and United Nations ambassador for former President Clinton. He was a U.S. congressman and is now a second-term as governor.
During his tenure as governor, Richardson began working to improve the U.S. ports of entry in New Mexico, including the one in Santa Teresa.
Richardson has also worked for several years with several El Pasoans, including businessman William "Bill" Sanders, to increase economic development in the region.
Together, Richardson, Sanders and others are working to move the railroads out of downtown Juárez and El Paso to Santa Teresa. They are also working on developing about 21,000 acres in Santa Teresa, in conjunction with Mexican businessmen who are working to develop the adjacent side.
In July, Richardson announced that his economic team in New Mexico had worked with Mexican officials to get a Taiwan company, Foxconn, to open a plant just across the border from Santa Teresa. The company will employ from 20,000 to 30,000 people.
"As New Mexico's Governor, Bill Richardson has been committed to his state's economic development; moreover, he has shown a keen awareness of the importance of the entire border region," said Sanders, the owner of Verde Realty. "As secretary of commerce, I would be very surprised if he doesn't continue to demonstrate his appreciation for the economic importance of our region."
Jerry Pacheco, executive director of The International Business Accelerator program in Southern New Mexico, said Richardson's appointment means the economic projects in this area can keep progressing.
"I don't think we could have gotten anyone better if we had been able to handpick the new commerce secretary," Pacheco said. "We don't need to brief him on the issues. He knows what is going on. He's got a vested interest in making those projects work."
El Paso businesswoman Veronica Callaghan, a member of the Foreign Trade Association, said Richardson helped lobby for the North American Free Trade Agreement when in Congress.
"In terms of barriers to trade, he will be very helpful," she said. "He certainly knows the issues we have here."
Richardson becomes the second former Democratic presidential candidate to join Obama's team. Sen. Hillary Clinton, who also ran against Obama in the Democratic primaries, was named secretary of state earlier this week. When Richardson dropped his presidential campaign, he immediately endorsed Obama and began campaigning for him.
U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said Richardson's experience in foreign policy, international trade and economic development will be an asset in Washington, D.C.
"With our economy in recession, the country needs a commerce secretary with a proven track record of creating jobs for hardworking Americans," Reyes said. "As governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson expanded economic opportunities for working-class families and was an advocate of small business. He strongly supports international trade and, as governor, he reached out to Mexico's business and political leaders to increase bi-national trade and commerce in New Mexico."
Ramon Bracamontes may be reached at rbracamontes@elpasotimes.com. |
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