Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
The price of gas at the pumps may be good news for consumers, but it’s taking a toll on the New Mexico Legislature’s budget and will likely have a negative impact on cities’ and counties’ requests for capital outlay funds.
Clovis and Curry County received about $1.6 million in capital outlay funds from the state Legislature in 2015.
State Sen. Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, on Monday estimated Clovis/Curry County can expect somewhere between $500,000 and $750,000 for projects this year. Capital outlay funding can pay for park renovations, fire trucks and a variety of other projects not budgeted by public entities.
Local lawmakers also discussed proposed tax increases, the Real ID Act and a possible change in punishment for child pornography at a Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Clovis Civic Center.
This year’s 30-day legislative session begins on Tuesday.
City, county, school and other local officials pitched their capital outlay priority lists before Ingle, Rep. Randal Crowder, R-Clovis, and Rep. George Dodge, D-Santa Rosa.
Ingle and Crowder also talked about possible tax increases they may present to lawmakers in hopes of improving streets and highways around New Mexico.
Ingle said he may propose a constitutional amendment for voters to decide on a 5-cent increase in tax on diesel fuel.
“One nickel will make about $50 million a year,” he said.
Crowder said he may help sponsor a bill for a 2-cent increase on fuel that will benefit cities with a population of 10,000 or more. The money would be used to improve city streets, he said.
Crowder also said he will push for New Mexico to become compliant with the federal Real ID Act.
New Mexico driver’s licenses are issued to non-citizens now, which fails to meet standards established in the Act.
Long-term, it could result in New Mexico residents being unable to board airplanes. It’s already impacting New Mexico residents who work at Cannon Air Force Base, Crowder said.
“New Mexico workers are at a disadvantage because most of them do not have a passport in order to get on base,” he said.
Crowder also said he is working with Clovis-Portales District Attorney Andrea Reeb to strengthen laws for punishing those convicted of possessing child pornography.
