Hull joins the call for a special session
Capital outlay bill at heart of push
The push for a capital outlay bill continues, with Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull joining mayors from around the state in a call for a special session of the state Legislature.
Hull was one of 50 mayors signing a letter encouraging the state House and Senate to “come together with the governor and craft a capital outlay bill that is acceptable to both chambers and the executive.” Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry, Bernalillo Mayor Jack Torres and Corrales Mayor Scott Kominiak also signed the letter.
Lawmakers failed to pass a capital outlay bill in this year’s two-month legislative session. Had it passed, the $264 million capital outlay bill would have helped pay for a number of state projects, including purchasing rights-of-way for the proposed extension of Paseo del Volcan and other local projects.
The mayors’ letter, addressed to Gov. Susana Martinez and signed Thursday, states that if a compromise bill were drafted by the governor and the Legislature, a special session would be necessary to have it approved.
The letter notes that the outlay bill “will put t housands of people to work and will serve to improve public safety, infrastructure, schools and quality of life for our citizens.”
“A capital outlay bill not only funds important projects that benefit New Mexicans, but is also essential to stimulate the economy,” Hull said in a news release.
Sen. John Sapien, D-Corrales, echoed Hull’s comments
Friday morning during a legislative wrap-up breakfast sponsored by NAIOP, the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Sandoval Economic Alliance.
“We need to come back to get a capital outlay bill passed; it impacts everyone in this room,” he said. “There’s some compromise that needs to be worked out, there’s some discussion about whether we borrow to fund a road, but those are conversations we need to make and come together, and get that done.”
Friday’s meeting was attended by about 150 people, including state representatives, business representatives, and members of NAIOP, RRRCC and SEA.
Reps. Jane Powdrell-Culbert and Jason Harper, and Sens. Craig Brandt, John Ryan and Sapien answered questions about the session from SEA President and CEO Jami Grindatto, and Debbi Moore, president and CEO of RRRCC.
Powdrell-Culbert, Sapien and Ryan encouraged stronger communication efforts between business leaders and lawmakers before the legislative session begins.
“By the time we get to the session, we have heard every issue that we could and we’ve made some decisions,” Powdrell-Culbert said. “We do not get enough input from the business community, as well as from constituents around the state.”
Ryan said special events do not need to be scheduled for conversations between legislators and business leaders to take place.
“We need to hear from you in any way, whether it’s a coffee or a committee or a big event like this, we want to know what drives you and try to figure out the issues that you care most about,” he said.
A number of bills that would have helped businesses, including two workers compensation bills, were held up too long before seeing a vote, Brandt said.
“That’s some of the games that get played up there some- times and, if you want that to change, we need leadership. That’s a problem,” he said.
Harper said he was looking forward to next year’s session, saying his gross receipts tax reset bill would help smallbusiness owners throughout the state.
The bill, introduced in this past session as House Bill 491, proposes to remove all 370 GRT business exemptions, while decreasing the state’s GRT to about 2 percent.
Harper said although smart tax policy legislation isn’t a “silver bullet,” it could help solve a number of issues, including state education.
“I do believe that, if we had a good tax structure here that was simple and fair, that pushes businesses to grow and pushes business to go here, that would have implications far wider than this business community,” he said. “If parents could stay at home in the evenings instead of working a second job, and help their kids with their homework, that would be a huge help toward our children’s education.”