Issue 1 • 2022 7 We work alongside your customer’s investment advisor Albuquerque | Santa Fe | Las Cruces 505.881.3338 | 505.557.4010| 575.522.3448 ziatrust.com From Tucumcari to Gallup and across Historic Route 66, we work with banks to provide trustee and other fiduciary services for New Mexican families Washington D.C. until you get on the front lines in grassroots America. Folks can opt-in or opt-out of overdrafts as it is, and I think the majority of New Mexicans find it a net value to have their overdrawn checks paid. Third, there is the seemingly never-ending issue of credit unions not paying taxes while providing the exact same service as banks. It is imperative to continue to push for them to be taxed. Then, there is Section 1071 of the small business data collection. Under Section 1071, we will have to collect and report small business data, in which we are supervised, versus non-banks collecting data with no federal supervision. Last, there is the ECORA farm bill. It’s not a bank bill explicitly, but a measure to lower the cost of financing farm and ranch real estate for the folks feeding our country. This is important, not only to help banks compete with Farm Credit Unions, but to allow loans to be completed and relationships maintained in rural America where they originate. If you know me, then you know I am passionate about the viability of New Mexico, my home state, as well as my community and the banking industry. We can’t have too many friends in and out of our state and industry, including those on both sides of the political aisle. It is important to remember that politicians and industry leaders of all political leanings shape and influence our state and industry. I encourage all of you to support NMBA Bank Pac now more than ever. The resources we raise help our industry promote and protect the important business we do in helping our customers and state move forward. Also, I urge you to stay involved locally, statewide and nationally, as there is always a place for bankers to make a difference. We help people, and we help businesses, and, in turn, we make a positive difference! I will close on a political subject about which we are connected directly and indirectly throughout our great state: New Mexico’s booming oil and gas industry. A few facts: we are the #2 largest producer of oil in the entire country. Also, the oil and gas industry supply over 30% of our state’s annual budget and hundreds of millions of dollars more in capital outlay for every community in the state. And the production and development of oil and gas in New Mexico are cleaner than in any other developing area in the world. There is room for alternative energy, and we should promote solar, wind and others, but not at the expense of the greatest asset we have in oil and gas. We can promote increased tax incentives for solar and wind and grow alternative energy sources while working hand in hand with oil and gas versus penalizing the industry, which makes a positive difference in every New Mexican’s life. Stay safe, and I look forward to working with each one of you in protecting and promoting our financial industry and banking in New Mexico. It’s an important role we play. n
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