0001| SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 18 | 0002| 43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998 | 0003| INTRODUCED BY | 0004| PATRICK H. LYONS | 0005| | 0006| | 0007| | 0008| | 0009| | 0010| A JOINT MEMORIAL | 0011| REQUESTING THAT THE STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION | 0012| DEPARTMENT OBTAIN COUNTIES' APPROVAL PRIOR TO DESIGNATING | 0013| STATE ROADS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COUNTIES TO MAINTAIN. | 0014| | 0015| WHEREAS, the state highway and transportation department | 0016| told Union county and other county officials in December 1997 | 0017| that the department has the authority to determine whether a | 0018| road is the responsibility of the county or the state; and | 0019| WHEREAS, the department has told some county officials | 0020| that counties will have the obligation to maintain some state | 0021| highways; and | 0022| WHEREAS, many counties do not have the equipment or the | 0023| budgets to maintain state highways; and | 0024| WHEREAS, state highways are essential to the economy and | 0025| welfare of rural citizens; |