LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Las Cruces city councilors on Monday unanimously OK'd placing a nearly $35.6 million general-obligation bonds package before city voters in August.
The package, if passed by voters, would pay for parks improvements, a new animal shelter, replacement of an aging fire station, and walking and bicycle trails, according to the city.
The city council also OK'd in a 7-0 vote placing a set of proposed revisions to the city's charter — related to city council recall attempts — on the ballot for the same election, slated for Tuesday, Aug. 21.
Unlike past elections, this year's special election will be conducted entirely by mail-in ballot, thanks to a newly adopted set of city and state election rules. Also, it will be run by the county clerk's office, not the city clerk's office, which had been in charge in the past.
GO bonds proposed
The city in recent months has been hosting public meetings on the topic of a proposed general-obligation bond election. Jason Smith, Las Cruces deputy fire chief who was involved in gathering feedback and public presentations, said the city was initially eyeing a $10 million bonds package. But that changed based on input from the community.
"It was clear the public wanted more options, and they wanted to do something bigger," he told city councilors in Monday's meeting.
The city is proposing to spend $16.9 million in park improvements; $9.8 million for a new animal shelter; $6.15 million to replace Fire Station No. 3 on Valley Drive; and $2.71 million for walking, jogging, biking trails.
If approved by voters, the package would raise property taxes in the city limits of Las Cruces. On a $200,000 home and property, the taxable value for which is $66,667, the estimated yearly cost of the bonds package would be $140, according to the city's website on the proposal, http://clcbond.org.
The city would use the property taxes to repay bonds -- the city's form of financing -- that would pay for the proposed projects.
The city currently doesn't have any general-obligation bond debt, through state law authorizes it to carry about $92 million, according to the city.
Questions posed
The ballot language approved by city councilors Monday mentions the projects in generalities, something Mayor Pro Tem Gill Sorg questioned before the vote.
"What assurance does the voter have it's going to go to the sports facilities and related facilities you say it's going to go to?" he asked Smith.
Smith said it's up to the city to build the specific projects it's publicly discussed.
"I believe that's up to us to follow through," he said.
Pickleball courts, dog parks, a 10-acre park with baseball and soccer fields and improvements to the Hadley Avenue recreation complex are among the proposed parks improvements.
Las Cruces resident Paul Borunda, who lives in District 1, told city councilors he doesn't support the general-obligation bonds proposal, particularly for parks improvements. He said if residents in other city council districts want to support it and raise taxes in their own districts only, they can.
"I don't want to see us become another El Paso, Texas, where they use property taxes for almost everything," he told city councilors.
An overcrowded Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley, the result of pet overpopulation in the city and county, has long been a source of concern for animal advocates. City officials have said a new building would be constructed on the existing property at 3551 Bataan Memorial West. The current building would continue to be used.
Sorg asked why Fire Station No. 3 needs replacing. Smith said the building was constructed in 1967 and has had a series of problems, ranging from roof to foundation to plumbing issues.
"We actually have cracks in the walls where you can see sunlight," he said. "In a word, the station's awful."
Councilors voted 6-0 to place the bonds package on the ballot. City Councilor Greg Smith attended the meeting by phone, and his call appeared to have been dropped.
Proposed charter changes
The proposed city charter changes arose out of a controversial attempt launched in November 2014 by a conservative PAC against three city councilors, including Sorg. The group initially claimed the councilors may have been involved in wrongdoing but never produced evidence supporting the allegation. It also claimed the city councilors were too politically progressive.
Among the proposed charter revisions is that a recall petition "shall include facts that support grounds of misconduct or violation of the oath of office and a district court judge shall determine if misconduct which violates local or state laws governing elected officials has occurred or if the elected official had been disciplined or suspended from a professional licensing body before the petition is circulated," according to the city.
There are six ballot questions proposing to revise the recall provisions.
