DALLAS — New Mexico's schools, cities and tribes will have $169 million of new bond authority after voters approved three proposals referred by the state legislature.
The bond money was approved in three statewide ballot proposals Nov. 4.
Ballot Question C, the largest of the three, authorized issuance of $141 million of general obligation bonds for higher education, special schools and tribal school improvements. The measure passed with nearly 60% of the vote.
Ballot Question A provides $17 million of GO bonds for the construction and improvement of senior citizen facilities. Nearly 65% of the voters approved that measure.
Ballot Question B authorized $11 million of general obligation bonds for academic, public school, tribal and public library resource acquisitions. Nearly 63% of voters approved that measure.
In Bernalillo County, which includes Albuquerque, voters also approved $27.5 million of bonds for libraries, county buildings, acquisition of property, and maintenance of storm sewers and fiber optic systems.
Statewide, voters also approved two non-binding resolutions involving marijuana and mental health.
The first measure advises the legislature and Gov. Susana Martinez that voters are in favor of decriminalizing marijuana possession.
The second measure supports the addition of an eighth of a cent to the sales tax for mental health programs. The question was prompted by community concern over mental health issues after a rash of police shootings in the city in the past several years, including some who appeared to be mentally ill.
