City outlines where its priorities are in the next legislative session

With little discussion, the Rio Rancho Governing Body voted unanimously to approve a resolution that would outline the city’s priorities for the next legislative session, which will take place from Jan. 16 to Feb. 15.

“Approval of a Legislative Priority Resolution provides clear direction and parameters for Governing Body members, city staff, and the city’s lobbyist when interacting with different officials and organizations during the regular 2024 New Mexico Legislature session,” the resolution states.

According to the resolution, the specific legislative priorities and objectives have been developed from the following the Legislative Priority Resolutions previously adopted by the Governing Body, New Mexico Municipal League legislative priorities, emergent issues, city staff input and feedback from the city’s state government lobbyist.

The city of Rio Rancho’s legislative priorities and objectives for the regular 2024 session of the New Mexico Legislature are:

Authority/autonomy

The city says it does not support any legislation that restricts or otherwise reduces municipal government home-rule charter authority or autonomy because it says municipal government should be empowered to regulate local affairs and issues. It also doesn’t support legislation that undermines and/or minimizes its rights as an employer in relation to making operational decisions and abilities to govern responsibly. The city says it doesn’t support any legislation that reduces its authority to conduct its own municipal elections, either. It does support changes to regulations that would allow those that have earned retirement benefits from the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) to return to work in order to fill PERA-associated critical need positions, hard-to-fill vacancies and part-time positions without incurring penalties to existing retirement benefits.

Economic development

The city says it supports legislation that makes more resources for job creation and economic development programs more available. It gives the example of the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) and Local Economic Development Act (LEDA). It also supports legislation that would raise the city population maximum, which is currently at 60,000, allowing the state, though the LEDA, to provide extensions or improvements to infrastructure on government-owned land. It doesn’t support any legislation that adversely impacts New Mexico’s tax competitiveness and the state’s or city government’s ability to recruit and keep employers.

Financial

Financially, the city says it does not support any changes to the current schedule of the Hold Harmless payment phase-outs that would further negatively impact city revenue. It does support legislation that will clarify for public school districts that use of their financial obligation/borrowed funds is not limited to school grounds and can be used for the necessary infrastructure improvements to serve/access school grounds. It also likes legislation that will make sure the city will share in debts and obligations that increase the steadiness of the city general, police and fire divisions of the Public Employees Retirement Association Fund and legislation that would increase funding to the Library Division of the New Mexico Cultural Affairs Department to provide grant-in-aid to local libraries to address growing needs. It also says it supports a state general obligation bond in the November general election ballot that, if approved, would provide continued funding to libraries. The city likes any legislation that would adjust the monetary starting points in State Statute that have to do with the city sale or lease of property and corresponding ballot plans to reflect the rate of inflation since the last proper change. It also supports legislation that has to do with the Public Improvement District Act and Tax Increment for Development Act that would make specifications to the election and appointment of district board members consistent with the state’s current election code, clarify that the audit of its districts may be regulated separately from its primary government entity and clarify the applicability of the State’s Procurement Code to public expenditures . It also likes dedicated funding sources for city road and infrastructure projects. Lastly, it doesn’t support any legislation that restricts or reduces city government revenue sources.

Public safety

The city says it supports legislation and funding for additional mental health resources that would support public safety personnel with protecting and assisting residents in crisis. In addition to that, it wants a statewide emergency medical services assessment and that assessment recommendations are utilized to develop policy regarding appropriate funding mechanisms for emergency medical services in New Mexico.

Records

The city says the Inspection of Public Records Act(IPRA) is outdated and should be amended to improve and expand definitions of accessible and confidential records. It says the privacy rights of individual citizens, juveniles and public employee applicants should be better preserved and respected. The city also wants acknowledgment of modern technology; specifically police bodycam footage and police audio recordings. It added that it should also take into consideration privacy concerns and reasonable cost recovery for the time associated with redaction and production. It also says there should be protections for municipalities from costly, abusive and harassing use of IPRA. The city also would like legislation that would allow municipalities to have greater access to Gross Receipts Tax reporting information.

For more information on past legislative priorities, visit rrnm.gov.