Editor's Note: This is part 2 of a multi-part series. This article covers the first of the local government presentations.

By Mary Alice Murphy

The forum presentations began with local governments presenting their needs and requests.

Grant County Planner Anthony Gutierrez and County Manager Charlene Webb, representing Grant County, led off the event.

After thanking the legislators for hearing their needs and requests, Gutierrez said: "Our No. 1 priority is the continuum of care substance abuse treatment facility, which Commissioner Ron Hall and GRMC Project Development's Susie Trujillo have been working on diligently. It is for drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation. We see the problem in the work force, in the schools and in the community."

He noted that Grant County has implemented a 3/8 gross receipts tax increment, but would still run short in paying for it's priorities. "We are doing engineering and planning with the gross receipts tax. We are looking for an additional $200,000 for a commercial kitchen and furniture. It will be a long-term facility."

"Our No. 2 priority is Bataan Memorial Park," Gutierrez said. "We need $275,000 to fix drainage issues, because maintenance is continuous. The field has also been identified for a future baseball team from Western (New Mexico University). We will do the drainage first and then the lighting. "

He said No. 3 is the Road Department shop facility, which needs a new roof. "We've been patching it for years. We need $120,000 for a new roof."

Other projects for which the county needs funding are to upgrade the Courthouse electrical system, and for the business and conference center, "we need $2 million to redo the inside. We will also apply for an EDA grant."

Rep. Dianne Hamilton said: "It's so important to look at rehabilitation, instead of putting people in jail. Will the county pay for the treatment?"

"It will be a treatment and rehabilitation facility," Webb replied. "The county will contract with a firm to provide the services."

"I think it's wonderful that the county is taking the lead," Hamilton said.
"I applaud you for building a facility and making it possible. It can also be used for veterans. If you don't take care of the roof, the whole building for the shop will fall down."

"We do all our maintenance on county vehicles in the shop, including Sheriff's Office vehicles," Gutierrez said. "That's why it's a high priority."

Representative Elect John Zimmerman asked: "What is your estimate on the electrical upgrade for the Courthouse?"

Gutierrez said a couple of years ago, it was $348,000, but it may have gone up.

"If we also do the HVAC after the electrical upgrade, and the HVAC can't be done before the electrical system is upgraded, it will be over a million dollars," Webb replied. "We also have several code issues in the building.

Sen. Howie Morales asked: "With your gross receipts tax increment, what is your anticipated yearly amount of revenue?"

Each 1/8th increment will likely provide between $325,000 and $375,000, so a bit over a million annually, Webb said.

Morales asked where the Courthouse was on the Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan, to which Gutierrez replied that it was fifth.

"To clarify, we plan to spend $2 million on the rehabilitation facility," Webb said. "We have issued bonds and sold $6 million in bonds. We estimate the debt service annually on the bonds will be about $350,000."

Morales asked: "How much will you put into the conference center?"

"We will open the bid next week," Webb said. "We think $6 million will pay for the continuum of care, Bataan Memorial Park and the business and conference center."

Gutierrez noted the county would also apply for an EDA grant for the conference center.

Terry Anderson, Prospectors president, who served as moderator for the forum said: "While the next group is getting ready, I would like to announce, and I will announce this several times today, that Wednesday, Jan. 28, will be Grant County Day in Santa Fe. For everyone who will be presenting the next day, we will have a required logistics meeting the evening before, on Tuesday, Jan. 27 from 5:30-6:30. If you are presenting you need to be there. The meeting on Jan. 27 and the reception on Jan. 28 will be held at the Inn and Spa at Loretto.

Alex Brown, Town of Silver City manager, and Cynthia Bettison, Mayor Pro Tem, who were representing Silver City, gave the next presentation.

"These are our legislative priorities," Brown said. "No. 1 is hold harmless. Based on 2013 numbers, if hold harmless is completely taken away, we will lose $1.8 million, which is 18.7 percent of our total gross receipts tax revenue.

"Silver City is impacted the largest of any community in New Mexico," he continued. "Even if we add the 3/8th increment, it will not be enough to offset the loss. The increment will generate only about $900,000.

"At the minimum, please at least hold us harmless for that $900,000," Brown said. "We cannot raise enough without cutting services. Even though our resident population is 10,300, we provide services to 18,000-20,000 people on a daily basis. We generate 20 percent more gross receipts taxes than Deming, which has a population of 15,000.

"Our No. 2 priority is a cap on interest fee on small loans," he said. "Companies charge exorbitant fees.

"Our No. 3 priority is that we have a hard time getting reimbursements from the state—from the Department of Finance and Administration, the Finance authority and even Tax and Revenue," he said. "I've been manager for 13 years, and the past couple of years have been bad for payments being late. If taxpayers pay late, they have to pay a late fee, but state agencies don't have to."

"We also need $100,000 for sidewalks, and our second capital outlay request is to chip seal and fog seal several streets, including Little Walnut Road and Swan Street," Brown continued.

Morales asked if the hold harmless would take a change of statute.

"Yes, because we are only authorized to get an additional 3/8 of 1 percent," Brown said. "Silver City is the most impacted, with Española being second, with a population of 10,200. We are shopping hubs. At least hold us harmless or increase the population threshold, because those under 10,000 population are held harmless."

Morales asked if any legislation had been drafted

Bettison replied: "Yes, one will be presented Dec. 17-18. It will change the threshold to 10,500. With the 3/8 increment, some entities will make more money than they did through the hold harmless. We will have to cut too much."

Morales said he voted against the corporate tax cut, because it would impact Silver City and other localities. "It's a solution we need to work on."

Bettison said she would ask the drafter of the bill to contact Brown.

"The food tax would be the only way for us to make up some lost revenue," Bettison said. "It will be only on those not on EBT. The 3/8 tax increase will impact the lower-income citizens as well."

Morales asked for an update on the ambulances and the lights at Scott Park.

"The ambulances have been ordered," Brown replied. "The lighting is complete, and the concession stand is going out to bid.

"We have 12 projects in the ICIP, but we want more money for the chip sealing for Little Walnut, which is in terrible shape and the other streets," he continued. "We also want money for sidewalks. These are the only two for which we are asking for additional funding."

Morales said he had a concern about the DFA. "Let me know which ones haven't been returned and I'll address them. It also impacts the Colonias Infrastructure Fund and the EDA, doesn't it?"

Brown said it applied also to agreements and reimbursements from the Colonias fund.

"In the matter of the predatory lenders, I think legislation is being drafted," Zimmerman said. "It will limit the fees to 36 percent, which is still high. It hurts the poorest of the poor."

Morales said he would be carrying that legislation.

"I have just a comment," Hamilton said. "It's so good to see the university participating in city government. I think Dr. Shepard has worked hard to get you to work together. I think all of you on the Town Council further this.

The next article will continue the local government presentations.

Note: This article is taken directly from a transcript this writer is paid to deliver to the Prospectors each year for them to put the differently formatted information into the legislators' notebooks to be used during the legislative session and throughout the year.