State training fund boosting businesses

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - State tax dollars are proving priceless for some New Mexico businesses who are working to get off the ground or expand.

The Job Training Incentive Program uses tax dollars to help businesses pay for the training and wages of new employees for up to six months. This year the program has helped 30 businesses, most of them small businesses.

One of those businesses is TableTents.com , a business that helps companies in the food and beverage industry advertise in the digital world. They provide services that help the companies build their websites and use social media like Twitter and Facebook.

Tabletents.com was given money for eight new employees to add to its current staff of 12.

"We really couldn't have done it without JTIP to be honest with you," owner Joshua Bennett said

Bennett and his business partner, Rajarajan Socrates, said after landing a big contract with a food distributor they had to increase their staff but didn't have the money to hire extra people.

Other recipients of the JTIP money this year include General Mills, which got money for 51 new jobs.

"They took advantage of the program, and that is one of the reasons they decided to expand here in Albuquerque," state Secretary of Economic Development Jon Barela said.

Temper-Pedic, which has a big matress-making plant in Albuquerque, was also a recipient. It was granted money for 51 jobs. Hewlett Packard got funding for 58 new jobs.

Barela said the Gov. Susana Martinez has made increasing the budget for the job-training fund a priority asking lawmakers to put at least $10 million into it for the budget year beginning July 1.

In all 30 businesses benefited from the JTIP program in the current fiscal year leaving the fund with $2.5 million.