Local voters to weigh in on big bond questions this fall

Oct. 12—Though there is plenty for voters to consider this year when it comes to the Nov. 5 election, a number of statewide and local bond questions will also be on the ballot.
City of Santa Fe residents are being asked to weigh in on $25 million bond in road repairs for 54 road projects, while Santa Fe County voters will vote on $33.5 million in infrastructure improvements. Further, state lawmakers sent four amendments to the state constitution and four bond questions totaling almost $291 million to voters statewide this year.
Local voters can cast ballots early at the County Clerk’s Office, 240 Grant Ave., through Nov. 2, with expanded early voting set to launch Oct. 19 at nine sites in the county. Voters can still register before casting a ballot in person, during early voting and on Election Day.
City and county officials have sought to assure taxpayers that the bond measures will have no significant impact on local taxes.
City bond projects
Proposed repaving projects include several sections of Alameda Road; Rodeo Road from Yucca Street to Sawmill Road; Airport Road from Cerrillos Road to N.M. 599; Country Club Road from Airport Road to Jaguar Drive; and Cerrillos Road from Cielo Court to Airport Road. The improvements would include removing old and laying new pavement along with putting in new roadway markings and curb ramp improvements for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to City Council agenda documents.
The bond would lead to an estimated tax increase of $25 per year on a home valued at $500,000, according to a fiscal impact report. Work on the projects would be required to be at least 85% complete within three years.
During a presentation at a council meeting this week, officials said approving the bond questions would have little impact on city taxpayers.
“If we don’t do this, it’s going to cost twice as much money,” said Councilor Signe Lindell.
County bond questions
The county is asking voters to approve three bond measures for about $33.5 million in infrastructure improvements. The bonds would finance four open space and trails projects totaling $16 million, two water and wastewater projects for $12.5 million and two road projects for $4.9 million.
County spokeswoman Olivia Romo has said the county structures its bonds “to maintain materially stable tax rates over time.
“Approval of the general obligation bonds is not anticipated to significantly impact property tax rates,” she wrote in an email earlier this year.
The trails and open space projects include $3.5 million for design and property acquisition for the Santa Fe River Greenway Trail segment from Caja del Oro to Cottonwood Drive.
Other projects in this category are the Santa Fe Rail Trail segment from U.S. 285/84 to Lamy, which needs $7.5 million to be completed; phase three of a Romero Park project totaling $4.1 million for five new pickleball courts and a multiuse sports field; and $1 million for restoration and flooding prevention at the Rio En Medio open space.
Water projects the bonds would fund include a $10 million expansion of the county’s Water Reclamation Facility and $2.5 million for a water line replacement and fire hydrant installation in Chupadero.
The bond would also fund two road projects — $4 million to add culverts on Ojo De La Vaca Road to help with low water crossing issues and $900,000 for drainage and surface improvements on County Road 109 North.
County voters have approved bonds for $96.5 million in road projects and $84.5 million for wastewater and water projects since 2000, according to a presentation given by County Manager Gregory Shaffer in late July.
State bond questions
The four state bond questions this year total $290.6 million, with the most expensive one clocking in at $230.3 million, according to the Secretary of State’s election guide.
The New Mexico Board of Finance estimates that, if all four bond questions are approved by voters, the annual cost of repaying the bonds over a period of 10 years would be about $10.81 per $100,000 of asset value per year, the election guide states.
On the ballot is $230.3 million in bonds to fund various initiatives, including capital improvements and acquisitions at institutions of higher education and district and tribal schools statewide. Local projects associated with this question are $3.7 million to plan, design, construct and renovate the main building at Santa Fe Community College and $480,000 for improvements and upgrades to the loop road and emergency evacuation routes at the Institute of American Indian Arts.
If approved, another measure would issue $30.75 million in bonds to fund improvements to facilities for senior citizens. This includes building upgrades and buying new equipment through the New Mexico Aging and Long-term Services Department.
A third question would issue $19.3 million in bonds to fund the acquisition of public libraries, public school libraries, academic libraries and tribal libraries throughout the state. The fourth measure would issue $10 million in bonds for public safety radio communications improvements to upgrade and modernize the radio systems used for public safety across the entire state by building necessary infrastructure.
State constitutional amendment questions
One constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot would allow the state to extend a property tax exemption, currently only allowed for 100% disabled veterans and their widows and widowers, to veterans with less than a 100% disabled veterans and their widows and widowers. The amount of the exemption would be equal to the percentage of the veteran’s federal disability rating.
An argument against this amendment is that state property taxpayers who are not disabled veterans will pay more due to the exemption, according to the Secretary of the State’s voter guide, which states: “Other property taxpayers must compensate for the revenue that is lost, which is used to pay for the needs of all state residents.”
The guide notes that arguments in favor say the amendment would provide disabled veterans protection from rising property taxes; that it allows service-connected disabled veterans to be treated equally; and that the exemption may result in more veterans moving to the state.
Another proposed constitutional amendment would increase a property tax exemption for honorably discharged veterans and their widowed spouses from $4,000 to $10,000, an amount that would be adjusted annually for inflation. Arguments for and against this amendment are similar.
A third amendment would allow the dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law to appoint a designee to serve as chair of the Appellate Judges Nominating Commission. Under the proposed amendment, the dean’s designee must be an associate dean, a faculty member, a retired faculty member or a former dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law.
The fourth proposed constitutional amendment would eliminate the Legislature’s role in setting the salaries of county officers and authorize boards of county commissioners to set the salaries.
Staff writer Carina Julig contributed reporting.