‘PEOPLE FOR PROSPERITY’ HAS POSITIVE MESSAGE FOR LAS CRUCES
LAS CRUCES
In an effort to promote positive news concerning Las Cruces, a group of community and business leaders have joined together to form People for Prosperity, a long-term educational group committed to dispel negative
misconceptions about socio-economic conditions in and around Las Cruces. People for Prosperity is organized to provide an association of people who support economic prosperity in southern New Mexico, and to provide education to the general public about the advantages of a prosperous economic climate in the Las Cruces area.
People for Prosperity has three prominent, long-time local residents from a diverse background on their Board of Directors. After retiring from the U.S. Air Force and moving to Las Cruces in 1979, Hotch Manning has been actively involved in scores of community causes and organizations. His business background includes the creation of one of the region’s most successful equipment rental chains. Since his business retirement, Manning’s commitment to the community is unmatched; he is a past president of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, a charter member of the Las Cruces Beautification Council, a founding member of the Whole Enchilada Fiesta, and was named a Las Cruces Citizen of the Year in 1994. Manning continues to be active with a wide range of groups that create employment opportunities and economic growth for the area.
Kari Mitchell is the CEO/Owner of Las Cruces Machine, Manufacturing & Engineering, a production machine shop that has customers throughout the United States. Along with creating employment opportunities for local residents, Mitchell also has a record of positive community involvement. Currently, Mitchell is a Regional Education Initiative co-chair, current ex-official officer and past chairman of the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance, an Education Committee Member & Government Affairs Committee Member of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, and a Curriculum Committee Member for Leadership New Mexico.
William L. Lutz, a former United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, became a resident of Doña Ana County in 1969. As a past president of the Aggie Scholarship Foundation and the Las Cruces Sister Cities Foundation, Inc., Lutz is involved with the community and its continuing success. Presently, Lutz practices
law and is President of Martin, Lutz, Roggow, Hosford & Eubanks, P.C.
In recent months and during this active local political season, many citizens and local business owners who have worked so hard to improve Las Cruces are increasingly dissatisfied with the proliferation of inaccurate and negative misinformation concerning growth and the local economy. Las Cruces is thriving and prospering, and many positive results have been seen over the past few years. The local unemployment rate has plummeted from ten percent to nearly four percent; this has resulted in an overall growth in wages and a manageable growth rate of three percent, moderate by national standards. Crime rates in Las Cruces are far below that of many other cities, and the Las Cruces Police Department solves a greater percentage of crimes than the national average. Las Cruces continues to be nationally ranked by various organizations for livability, business environment, public safety and many other categories. As a county that formerly ranked near the bottom of nearly every socio-economic category, our area is now showing vast improvements in average wages, overall employment, economic development and smart growth planning.
People for Prosperity is proud of the changes in Las Cruces and Doña Ana County in recent years, and believes that with a concerted effort to answer negative misinformation with the positive facts, the best is yet to come.
For additional information, please contact
Hotch Manning at (575) 644-7905 or Kari Mitchell at (575) 526-1411