By Mary Alice Murphy

The first item of business on the agenda for the Monday, Jan. 30, 2017 special meeting was a public hearing and discussion regarding an ordinance authorizing a tax rebate to benefit low-income property taxpayers for taxable years 2017-18.

County Attorney Abigail Robinson said a notice of intent resolution passed the last Commission meeting.

"But to adopt this ordinance, which is an unknown risk financially, is not something I recommend," Robinson said. "Several years back I did a comparison with a county that had the ordinance. It was Santa Fe County, which has about five times our population. The first year they paid about $300,000 and by the time I looked at it, the county was up to about $500,000. With the difference in population numbers, ours could be $60,000 to $100,000. I recommend not to adopt the ordinance."

Commissioner Alicia Edwards read from a prepared statement. She noted that she has spent the past 11 years as the former director of The Volunteer Center and the current coordinator for Healthy Kids, Healthy Community, "deeply committed to working with and advocating for low-income families here in Grant County." She then offered her comments with that background in mind.

Edwards noted the state, two years ago, reneged on its commitment to counties and municipalities by starting the process to do away with the hold harmless funds. "Now the state is talking about doing away with the 15-year phase-out plan, which will cost the county $2 million." She said the town of Silver City has lost $340,000 to this point and "will also lose $2 million in an accelerated phase out."

The Legislature has given itself the authority to "claw back funds previously committed to vital area projects, including Colonias funds and rural fire protection dollars costing the county an additional $3 million. "The state is also taking an unknown amount of money from e-911 funds. There is not going to be one extra penny in this state when theyG