Santa Fe, NM – As a result of Tesla Motors announcing New Mexico as one of four finalists for the location of its new lithium battery factory, Governor Susana Martinez has announced a possibility of a special session in order to woo the company. Democratic Senators are willing to take the necessary steps to bring economic development to the state, and also want to ensure appropriate protections for taxpayer dollars are in place.
“Tesla would be a massive game changer because it would provide jobs for folks from all walks of life. As part of the process we must make sure we have appropriate accountability measures. Such measures are local hiring and contracting preferences, including construction, materials and personnel, as well as water quality and wage protections. It is also our duty to protect taxpayer money with clawbacks if the company backs out in the future,” said Senate Majority Whip Tim Keller (D-17-Bernalillo). “A solid commitment on Tesla’s behalf has to be made to warrant a special session. Other critical issues that were not included in the last session could also be addressed such as the behavioral health crisis and over-testing issues plaguing our schools.”
The Tesla factory is predicted to bring with it 6,500 jobs. Nevada, Texas and Arizona are also in the running for the new site of the Tesla factory.