Funding system is imperfect, but it delivers for rural areas
Much has been written lately about the supplemental appropriation bill, Senate Bill 48, that’s referred to as “House Bill 2 Jr.” in the Legislature. This bill is often the only opportunity for legislators to fund programs, small projects or small purchases in our respective districts. We can fund larger capital projects in separate legislation, but House Bill 2 Jr. is the opportunity to provide other resources to our constituents. This is important for our rural areas and colonias in Doña Ana County.
I reject the notion these appropriations are not well vetted. I work closely with locally elected officials who are in the best position to advise me on the critical needs in their communities. They give me details on the needs and often help with specific language in the appropriation requests so no errors are made. It is this direct dialogue and input that ensures the projects are vetted and needed. Additionally, the professional staff of the Legislative Finance Committee provides its expertise on many of the appropriation requests throughout the process. All the appropriation requests are combined into a bill that is printed, published and available to anyone who wishes to read it. Afterward, those funded programs or projects are monitored by various agencies in state government.
One aspect that is lacking in this process is transparency. There is not an accompanying spreadsheet of sponsor-funded requests to House Bill 2 Jr. as there is for capital outlay bill projects. This should change. I support that change, and so do my colleagues in the House. I believe the House will act to correct this problem when we meet in special session on April 5. In the spirit of transparency, however, I funded the following projects in House Bill 2 Jr.:
$80,000 to the Anthony Police Department for equipment
$50,0000 to the Anthony library $50,000 to Doña Ana County for backup generators for wastewater systems in Anthony/Vado/Berino
$50,0000 to expand Las Cruces Domestic Violence Coordinate Community Response staff at CYFD
$80,000 for a senior women’s athletics coordinator at NMSU
$50,000 for warrant enforcement staff support at the 3rd Judicial District Court
My capital outlay projects in Senate
Bill 212, along with all other legislator allocations, can be found on the legislative website, nmlegis.gov, using this link: SFC SUB SB212 Projects with Sponsor by County WGA, 2022.pdf.
Make no mistake, the current capital outlay and House Bill 2 Jr. process might not be perfect, but it guarantees rural New Mexico and Doña Ana County receive some amount of funding we deserve as taxpayers. I am proud of the dollars I have brought home to Doña Ana County and House District
52. These dollars generate spending, create jobs and improve the quality of life to New Mexicans.