CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY-FIRST COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. F/S R-13-8 ENACTMENT NO. ____________________
SPONSORED BY: Trudy Jones
RESOLUTION
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F/S Establishing A Legislative Policy For The City Of Albuquerque For The 2014 Legislative Session Of The New Mexico Legislature (Jones)
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ESTABLISHING A LEGISLATIVE POLICY FOR THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE FOR THE 2014 LEGISLATIVE SESSION OF THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. That the legislative policy for the 2014 Session of the New Mexico Legislature is hereby approved and adopted as follows:
(A) REVENUE MEASURES. The City of Albuquerque:
(1) opposes any erosion of local government taxing authority and the City's gross receipts tax base;
(2) supports the examination of alternatives to enhance the revenue stream or create diversity to stabilize municipal revenue sources; and
(3) opposes changes relative to local franchise fees and franchises which would have the effect of lowering municipal revenues or lessening control over municipal rights-of-way.
(B) CAPITAL PROJECTS. The City requests:
(1) that existing City capital projects be reauthorized, and new projects identified by the City as having a high priority receive capital outlay funding;
(2) funding for the purchase of right of way for the Paseo del Volcan By-Pass Freeway and for infrastructure improvements at the State Fairgounds and the immediately surrounding public streets; and
(3) funding for the purchase of open space.
(C) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. The City:
(1) urges the State to recognize the regional importance of the
I-25/Paseo del Norte interchange project headed by the New Mexico Department of Transportation, to continue to support the collaboration among local, State and Federal agencies on the project, and to provide funding toward the completion of the phased renovation of the interchange;
(2) supports the Mainstreet program (including Nob Hill and Downtown in Albuquerque) and the preservation and prioritization of local economic development in State economic planning;
(3) supports funding for the purchase of properties in targeted areas to remove blighted structures to stimulate redevelopment of the area;
(4) supports the continued recruitment of, and incentives for, the film industry;
(5) supports legislative amendments to the Tax Increment Development District (TIDD) statute to allow the state Board of Finance to strengthen TIDDs by adjusting the base year for the purpose of calculating increment;
(6) supports continued funding, in conjunction with surrounding states, of AMTRAK's Southwest Chief on its present route alignment;
(7) while recognizing the need for economic development on Native American lands, opposes any expansion of the gaming industry as that expansion could hurt tourism and local economic development;
(8) urges the State to support Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) funding;
(9) urges the State to increase marketing funds for economic development and recruitment;
(10) supports the increase in marketing funds for State tourism.
(D) CHILDREN, YOUTH AND SENIORS. The City encourages:
(1) the appropriation of funds to retain the level of financial support for the 21st Century Learning Center educational programs at full funding at all existing sites;
(2) maintaining Medicaid and SCHIP coverage at current levels of coverage; and
(3) maintaining funding for the City's Home Services Program which provides home repair, chores and retrofit for senior citizens.
(E) HOUSING AND EDUCATION. The City supports:
(1) legislative efforts to increase the funding for the New Mexico Housing Trust Fund and provide greater regulatory flexibility to increase the supply of affordable housing and its rehabilitation in Albuquerque;
(2) adequate and equitable funding for Albuquerque public schools, charter schools, institutions of higher education, and alternative schools for at-risk children;
(3) the Legislature requiring that local school districts enter into partnerships with local governments to achieve the most effective use of all public facilities by the community; and
(4) making capital funding available to charter schools.
(F) PUBLIC SAFETY. The City:
(1) supports strengthening laws to end motorists driving while impaired;
(2) supports continued funding for alcohol and drug treatment services;
(3) supports legislation that would eliminate the statute of limitations for violent felonies;
(4) supports the work of the Domestic Violence Task Force and other efforts to reduce threats to women, children and families;
(5) supports funding for the acquisition of land and/or property for, and the operation of, a year-round emergency overnight shelter for homeless women, children and families;
(6) supports legislation and potential solutions related to the increasing prevalence of identity theft in New Mexico;
(7) supports adequate funding for the Department of Corrections to compensate local jails for the cost of holding parole violators and other State prisoners;
(8) opposes legislative amendments that would impose a fee on municipalities for municipal prisoners housed in county detention facilities;
(9) supports sentencing alternatives to allow more effective local control of jail populations;
(10) supports strengthening the sentences for all human trafficking convictions from a third-degree felony to a first-degree felony;
(11) supports the renewal of statute 61-12c-9 to require that all State massage parlors be licensed to practice in an effort to combat trafficking practices in these businesses;
(12) supports the strengthening of penalties for metal theft and specifically building vandalism associated with metal theft;
(13) supports a Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) that would allow qualified police officers the opportunity to return to the police force after retirement.
(G) LAND USE. The City:
(1) supports a legislative amendment to reinstate the City's extraterritorial planning and zoning authority that would allow the City and Bernalillo County to develop a mutually acceptable and cooperative decision-making process regarding land in the extraterritorial area;
(2) supports legislation authorizing municipalities to create civil administrative remedies for zoning code violations which would be imposed at an administrative hearing by an administrative hearing officer pursuant to the findings made at that administrative hearing;
(3) supports legislation that provides local government entities the ability to require reporting on second hand metal dealers regarding the purchase or acquisition of regulated metal.
(H) ANIMAL ISSUES. The City of Albuquerque supports:
(1) funding to assist local animal shelters with the costs of sheltering animals under court-ordered protective custody;
(2) statewide legislation for mandatory spay and neuter requirements together with funding for low-income spay and neuter programs;
(3) legislative efforts to address issues arising from the links between domestic violence, child abuse and animal abuse; and
(4) legislative amendments to the current State Cruelty Law to define neglect as cruelty and increase penalties for animal cruelty.
(I) GENERAL. The City supports the policy statements and resolutions of the New Mexico Municipal League (NMML); if any NMML policies are inconsistent with the provisions of this Resolution, the provisions herein shall prevail.
(J) GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE. This Resolution will be amended, if necessary, to address any issues brought forth by Executive Message that are not addressed herein.
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