FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK

Local Business Climate Improving Be Patient

Almost all indexes indicate that the Santa Fe economy is moving in the right direction. Unemployment is at 3.9%, the lowest we’ve seen in many years. Housing prices and demand are certainly rising – good news if you own or are about to own a home. And lodgers and gross receipts tax revenues are up. At the Chamber we’re hearing from many people who are ready to move away from floods and heat and traffic and absurd housing markets to our great city. And many local companies are expanding and hiring. Descartes Labs, Meow Wolf, Presbyterian, LANL, SFPS, SFPD are all urgently seeking talent to fill a variety of positions. And entrepreneurs are continuing to start businesses or expand their gig economy capacity. Anecdotally we hear of softness in the hospitality sector as we go into the quieter winter season. It is hard to sustain 400+ restaurants, and the art market is still not as strong as it was ten years ago. But overall there are jobs in Santa Fe and indicators are ticking upward. What is also encouraging is that the City of Santa Fe is making difficult but necessary changes in land use, finance, HR and other areas in order to be more organized, more efficient, more transparent, and better prepared for the future. Newly hired senior staff are capable and unafraid to make changes in systems and policies where needed even though “we’ve always done it that way.” Finding this talent has taken a little time and building an excellent team takes resources. In the March municipal election the voters chose a new Mayor who ran on a change and reform platform. Since then Mayor Webber has made major changes at the senior staff level daily - I communicate some voluntarily, with some city staff not. about Almost business issues – permits, parking, schedules, ordinances, signage, events, complaints etc and I have found responsiveness to be much improved. Change is hard in Santa Fe. We care so much about the community that sometimes we whine and snark and speak before thinking about new things, ways, people, and systems. A redesigned grocery store layout can elicit a hundred comments on social media. And online everyone’s an expert about everything. Let’s stop whining, celebrate our successes, pay attention but do so gracefully and with respect and be good neighbors.