OPINION: Don’t let Congress disrupt the tools small businesses rely on

When I opened Burque Throwdown just south of Downtown Albuquerque, I didn’t simply want to build a business — I wanted to build community. That’s why at our pottery school and studio, we welcome people from all over to slow down, get their hands dirty and create something beautiful in clay. Located between Downtown and the historic Barelas neighborhood, the studio has become more than just a place to create and learn. It’s become a gathering space — a place to make friends, unwind and feel a sense of connection.

Running a small business like mine, though, takes more than passion. It takes reliable, accessible tools — especially when it comes to payments. One of the tools I rely on every day is my third-party payment processor, which allows my customers to securely pay for classes, materials and studio time with credit cards. It’s simple, it’s efficient and it helps keep my business running smoothly.

That’s why I’m deeply concerned about the Durbin-Marshall credit card mandates — a proposal in Congress that ignores the real needs of businesses like mine.

At first glance, the Durbin-Marshall mandates may sound like they would help small businesses by proposing cuts to credit card processing fees. But, like so many things in Washington, this bill is not what it says it is.

When similar mandates were placed on debit cards, third-party payment processors — like Square, Stripe and others — did not pass along any savings to the small businesses that depend on them. These platforms are essential to how we operate. They’re not just a way to accept payments; they help us track inventory, manage bookings, communicate with customers and streamline day-to-day operations. For businesses like Burque Throwdown, these tools aren’t optional — they’re foundational. And we need them to be affordable.

Large retailers, like Home Depot or Target, access credit card processing systems directly. So, if credit card fees are reduced, they stand to save billions. But for small businesses like mine that use third-party processors, there are no guaranteed savings. Instead of putting money back into the pockets of small businesses, the Durbin-Marshall mandates will shift profits to the biggest players, leaving small business owners like me behind.

New Mexico’s small businesses are unlikely to see any real financial benefit from the Durbin-Marshall credit card mandates. In plain terms: The big guys keep making money, and the little guys lose out. Again.

Every small business owner I know is already juggling a million things — managing staff, paying bills, attracting customers, planning ahead and keeping the doors open. We don’t need Congress disrupting systems we depend on unless they’re absolutely sure it will bring meaningful, measurable change that helps local New Mexico businesses — and the Durbin-Marshall mandates decidedly won’t.

At Burque Throwdown, we’ve worked hard to build something meaningful. We’ve created a space that brings people together, supports local artists and makes creativity more accessible. We’re proud to be part of a growing movement of small businesses that are reimagining what it means to show up for each other in community. And to do that, we rely on simple, stable tools that help us thrive.

The Durbin-Marshall credit card mandates claim to help businesses, but they don’t address what we really need: transparency, consistency and technology that evolves with us — not at our expense.

I urge New Mexico Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján to listen to the voices of New Mexico’s small business owners and oppose the Durbin-Marshall credit card mandates. We need policies that truly support us — not ill-conceived legislation that leaves out the needs and realities of local New Mexico entrepreneurs.

Tamara Righettini is the owner of Burque Throwdown.