http://youtu.be/LsYOvOpGloE
The Doña Ana County Commission passed a GRT tax of 3/8ths of 1 percent, which is expected to bring in close to 12 million dollars in revenue.
The Doña Ana County Commission passed a resolution that outlines how the GRT revenue will be spent. Commissioner Billy Garret says it was important for residents to know how the money was being spent.
“To make sure that it was a fairly clean process,” Garrett said. “It was a long process, so we were at this for hours, but at the same time I think what it did was allow us to talk about the different ways that the money could be spent and organize that conversation.”
Commissioner Ben Rawson voted to pass the resolution, but said there is still no clear plan.
“There is no details in there,” Rawson said. “There’s a lot of fluff, but there is no details on how the money is going to be spent, and I think that’s wrong for the residents.”
The resolution splits the 3/8th’s of 1 percent, into 3 parts. The first 1/8th will go to the Doña Ana County Sherriff’s Office for salary increases, vehicles, or other needs they may face.
Sherriff Enrique “Kiki” Vigil, was at an out of state conference, his administrative executive, Dennis Montoya, read a letter from him in support of the funding.
“I cannot emphasize enough the crisis situation this department is in and the peril in which this places the public,” Vigil said. “If we don’t ask reasonably and prudently with respect to the needs of public safety, this county courts a public safety disaster.”
The Second 1/8th will go to the Detention Center for salary increases, new county vehicles, funding for a countywide transportation system not to exceed $750,000 and $200,000 dollars for the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Agency.
Chris Barela, Director of the Doña Ana County Detention Center says that only about 160 of 255 positions at the Detention Center are filled.
“The detention center is a difficult job,” Barela said. “Just like the Sherriff’s Department, just like the Fire Marshall, like many many other jobs throughout the county. They have to deal with people’s safety, customer service each and every day, security, and maintaining the peace of mind for the community. By assuring that we keep these people in a jail, and at the same time providing humane conditions of confinement for their safety.”
A member of the public read a note from someone who could not get to the commission meeting because of lack of transportation.
“Some people they have privileges that others want, such as cars, not everyone has reliable modes of transportation. Everyone deserves to have access to transportation that helps them go to wherever they desire to, such as going to the next town to take part in a soccer team, or a county commission meeting, or whatever they choose to- Even the doctors and dentists.”
CEO of the Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce Bill Allen said that a GRT increase to fund a countywide transportation system was voted down during the last election.
“Please don’t lose sight that the County residents have recently spoken last November about a mass transit project and their feelings were already known at that point.”
The final 1/8th is being put toward capital improvements essential for increased economic activity and serious health and safety issues.
Daniel Hortert from the Community Development Department spoke about the importance of this.
“Often times we leave money on the table in terms of federal and state grants because we don’t have the financial match to assist that,” Hortert said. “We don’t have a capital improvement fund, so our capital improvement plan, which is a plan by the county, turns into an ICIP or an infrastructure capital improvement plan, and then becomes just a wish list.”
The resolution also included a review of the spending every two years.
