Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
PORTALES — Ballots for next month’s special election in Portales regarding the city’s use of Local Economic Development Act funds will be mailed to registered voters on Monday.
Voters will be asked to consider whether retail businesses, cultural facilities and arts and cultural districts should be eligible to receive LEDA money.
City Manager Sammy Standefer told The News on Friday that the tax generates a little over $200,000 annually for the city, with about $1 million currently available.
He said taxes would not increase should voters approve the question, the city would simply have broader authority to spend the funds.
The ordinance currently identifies seven qualifying entities eligible for LEDA funding:
• Industry for agricultural or manufactured products
• Storage or distribution of agricultural or mining industries, not including public utilities
• Businesses that supply services to the general public or governmental agencies, not including retail
• Indian corporations
• Telecommunications enterprises that do the majority of their business outside New Mexico
• Farmers markets
• Metropolitan redevelopment projects
Standefer said LEDA funds are used as an incentive to attract businesses and job creation in the city.
Ballots are due back to the city clerk’s office by April 4.
The full question to the voters reads as follows:
“Should Ordinance No. 737 amending the code without raising taxes and using existing funds only to designate retail business, arts and cultural districts, and cultural facilities as being eligible to utilize revenues generated by the Municipal Local Options Gross Receipt Taxes Act; or for projects as defined in the Statewide Development Finance Act be adopted.”
