Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima and members of City Council will host a series of public input meetings regarding the potential for enacting a 3/8 of one-percent Gross Receipts Tax.
Revenues generated from the tax would help offset the loss of Hold Harmless funding eliminated by state legislators during the 2013 legislative session. Hold Harmless is funding communities receive from the state that make up for the lack of taxes on food and medicine.
Voter approval is not required for implementation of the GRT increase. Enacting the tax only requires City Council approval. The amount generated by the new GRT would be slightly less than amount needed to fully replace the Hold Harmless when it is fully phased out in 2030, but would still allow City government to provide services and programs.
The mayor and city councillors will meet with the public as follows:
Monday, August 5, 6 p.m., City Council Chambers, City Hall, 700 N. Main St. with Councillors Miguel Silva, Dist.1 and Nathan Small, Dist. 4.
Thursday, August 8, 6 p.m., Good Samaritan Village creative arts room, 3025 Terrace with Councillors Greg Smith, Dist. 2 and Olga Pedroza, Dist. 3
Tuesday, August 13, 6 p.m. Doña Ana Community College East Mesa Campus, 2800 Sonoma Ranch Blvd., conference room 232, with Councillors Gill Sorg, Dist. 5 and Mayor Pro–Tem Sharon Thomas, Dist. 6.