45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

RELATING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS; PERMITTING COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO USE CERTAIN STATE DISTRIBUTIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING AND REPAIRING PUBLIC PARKING LOTS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 3-31-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1973, Chapter 395, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

"3-31-1. REVENUE BONDS--AUTHORITY TO ISSUE--PLEDGE OF

REVENUES--LIMITATION ON TIME OF ISSUANCE.--In addition to any other law and constitutional home rule powers authorizing a municipality to issue revenue bonds, a municipality may issue revenue bonds pursuant to Chapter 3, Article 31 NMSA 1978 for the purposes specified in this section. The term "pledged revenues", as used in Chapter 3, Article 31 NMSA 1978, means the revenues, net income or net revenues authorized to be pledged to the payment of particular revenue bonds as specifically provided in Subsections A through I of this section.

A. Utility revenue bonds may be issued for acquiring, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing or otherwise improving a municipal utility or for any combination of the foregoing purposes. The municipality may pledge irrevocably any or all of the net revenues from the operation of the municipal utility or of any one or more of other such municipal utilities for payment of the interest on and principal of the revenue bonds. These bonds are sometimes referred to in Chapter 3, Article 31 NMSA 1978 as "utility revenue bonds" or "utility bonds".

B. Joint utility revenue bonds may be issued for acquiring, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing or otherwise improving joint water facilities, sewer facilities, gas facilities or electric facilities or for any combination of the foregoing purposes. The municipality may pledge irrevocably any or all of the net revenues from the operation of these municipal utilities for the payment of the interest on and principal of the bonds. These bonds are sometimes referred to in Chapter 3, Article 31 NMSA 1978 as "joint utility revenue bonds" or "joint utility bonds".

C. For the purposes of this subsection, "gross receipts tax revenue bonds" means gross receipts tax revenue bonds or sales tax revenue bonds. Gross receipts tax revenue bonds may be issued for any one or more of the following purposes:

(1) constructing, purchasing, furnishing, equipping, rehabilitating, making additions to or making improvements to one or more public buildings or purchasing or improving any ground relating thereto, including but not necessarily limited to acquiring and improving parking lots, or any combination of the foregoing;

(2) acquiring or improving municipal or public parking lots, structures or facilities or any combination of the foregoing;

(3) purchasing, acquiring or rehabilitating fire-fighting equipment or any combination of the foregoing;

(4) acquiring, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing, otherwise improving or maintaining storm sewers and other drainage improvements, sanitary sewers, sewage treatment plants or water utilities, including but not necessarily limited to the acquisition of rights of way and water and water rights, or any combination of the foregoing;

(5) reconstructing, resurfacing, maintaining, repairing or otherwise improving existing alleys, streets, roads or bridges or any combination of the foregoing or laying off, opening, constructing or otherwise acquiring new alleys, streets, roads or bridges or any combination of the foregoing; provided that any of the foregoing improvements may include but are not limited to the acquisition of rights of way;

(6) purchasing, acquiring, constructing, making additions to, enlarging, bettering, extending or equipping airport facilities or any combination of the foregoing, including without limitation the acquisition of land, easements or rights of way therefor;

(7) purchasing or otherwise acquiring or clearing land or for purchasing, otherwise acquiring and beautifying land for open space;

(8) acquiring, constructing, purchasing, equipping, furnishing, making additions to, renovating, rehabilitating, beautifying or otherwise improving public parks, public recreational buildings or other public recreational facilities or any combination of the foregoing;

(9) acquiring, constructing, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing, otherwise improving or maintaining solid waste disposal equipment, equipment for operation and maintenance of sanitary landfills, sanitary landfills, solid waste facilities or any combination of the foregoing; and

(10) acquiring, constructing, extending, bettering, repairing or otherwise improving a public transit system or regional transit systems or facilities.

The municipality may pledge irrevocably any or all of the gross receipts tax revenue received by the municipality pursuant to Section 7-1-6.4 or 7-1-6.12 NMSA 1978 to the payment of the interest on and principal of the gross receipts tax revenue bonds for any of the purposes authorized in this section or for specific purposes or for any area of municipal government services, including but not limited to those specified in Subsection C of Section 7-19D-9 NMSA 1978, or for public purposes authorized by municipalities having constitutional home rule charters. A law that imposes or authorizes the imposition of a municipal gross receipts tax or that affects the municipal gross receipts tax, or a law supplemental thereto or otherwise appertaining thereto, shall not be repealed or amended or otherwise directly or indirectly modified in such a manner as to impair adversely any outstanding revenue bonds that may be secured by a pledge of such municipal gross receipts tax unless the outstanding revenue bonds have been discharged in full or provision has been fully made therefor.

Revenues in excess of the annual principal and interest due on gross receipts tax revenue bonds secured by a pledge of gross receipts tax revenue may be accumulated in a debt service reserve account. The governing body of the municipality may appoint a commercial bank trust department to act as trustee of the gross receipts tax revenue and to administer the payment of principal of and interest on the bonds.

D. As used in this section, the term "public building" includes [but is not limited to] fire stations, police buildings, municipal jails, regional jails or juvenile detention facilities, libraries, museums, auditoriums, convention halls, hospitals, buildings for administrative offices, city halls and garages for housing, repairing and maintaining city vehicles and equipment. As used in Chapter 3, Article 31 NMSA 1978, the term "gross receipts tax revenue bonds" means the bonds authorized in Subsection C of this section, and the term "gross receipts tax revenue" means the amount of money distributed to the municipality as authorized by Section 7-1-6.4 NMSA 1978 or the amount of money transferred to the municipality as authorized by Section

7-1-6.12 NMSA 1978 for any municipal gross receipts tax imposed pursuant to the Municipal Local Option Gross Receipts Taxes Act. As used in Chapter 3, Article 31 NMSA 1978, the term "bond" means any obligation of a municipality issued under Chapter 3, Article 31 NMSA 1978, whether designated as a bond, note, loan, warrant, debenture, lease-purchase agreement or other instrument evidencing an obligation of a municipality to make payments.

E. Gasoline tax revenue bonds may be issued for laying off, opening, constructing, reconstructing, resurfacing, maintaining, acquiring rights of way, repairing and otherwise improving municipal buildings, alleys, public parking lots, streets, public roads and bridges or any combination of the foregoing purposes. The municipality may pledge irrevocably any or all of the gasoline tax revenue received by the municipality to the payment of the interest on and principal of the gasoline tax revenue bonds. As used in Chapter 3, Article 31 NMSA 1978, "gasoline tax revenue bonds" means the bonds authorized in this subsection, and "gasoline tax revenue" means all or portions of the amounts of tax revenues distributed to municipalities pursuant to Sections 7-1-6.9 and 7-1-6.27 NMSA 1978, as from time to time amended and supplemented.

F. Project revenue bonds may be issued for acquiring, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing, improving, constructing, purchasing, furnishing, equipping and rehabilitating any revenue-producing project, including, where applicable, purchasing, otherwise acquiring or improving the ground therefor, including but not necessarily limited to acquiring and improving parking lots, or for any combination of the foregoing purposes. The municipality may pledge irrevocably any or all of the net revenues from the operation of the revenue-producing project for which the particular project revenue bonds are issued to the payment of the interest on and principal of the project revenue bonds. The net revenues of any revenue-producing project [may] shall not be pledged to the project revenue bonds issued for a revenue-producing project that clearly is unrelated in nature; but nothing in this subsection shall prevent the pledge to such project revenue bonds of any revenues received from existing, future or disconnected facilities and equipment that are related to and that may constitute a part of the particular revenue-producing project. A general determination by the governing body that any facilities or equipment is reasonably related to and constitutes a part of a specified revenue-producing project shall be conclusive if set forth in the proceedings authorizing the project revenue bonds. As used in Chapter 3, Article 31 NMSA 1978:

(1) "project revenue bonds" means the bonds authorized in this subsection; and

(2) "project revenues" means the net revenues of revenue-producing projects that may be pledged to project revenue bonds pursuant to this subsection.

G. Fire district revenue bonds may be issued for acquiring, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing, improving, constructing, purchasing, furnishing, equipping and rehabilitating any fire district project, including where applicable purchasing, otherwise acquiring or improving the ground therefor, or for any combination of the foregoing purposes. The municipality may pledge irrevocably any or all of the revenues received by the fire district from the fire protection fund as provided in the Fire Protection Fund Law and any or all of the revenues provided for the operation of the fire district project for which the particular bonds are issued to the payment of the interest on and principal of the bonds. The revenues of any fire district project shall not be pledged to the bonds issued for a fire district project that clearly is unrelated in its purpose; but nothing in this section prevents the pledge to such bonds of any revenues received from existing, future or disconnected facilities and equipment that are related to and that may constitute a part of the particular fire district project. A general determination by the governing body of the municipality that any facilities or equipment is reasonably related to and constitutes a part of a specified fire district project shall be conclusive if set forth in the proceedings authorizing the fire district bonds.

H. Law enforcement protection revenue bonds may be issued for the repair and purchase of law enforcement apparatus and equipment that meet nationally recognized standards. The municipality may pledge irrevocably any or all of the revenues received by the municipality from the law enforcement protection fund distributions pursuant to the Law Enforcement Protection Fund Act to the payment of the interest on and principal of the law enforcement protection revenue bonds.

I. Economic development gross receipts tax revenue bonds may be issued for the purpose of furthering economic development projects as defined in the Local Economic Development Act. The municipality may pledge irrevocably any or all of the revenue received from the municipal infrastructure gross receipts tax to the payment of the interest on and principal of the economic development gross receipts tax revenue bonds for any of the purposes authorized in this subsection. A law that imposes or authorizes the imposition of a municipal infrastructure gross receipts tax or that affects the municipal infrastructure gross receipts tax, or a law supplemental to or otherwise pertaining to the tax, shall not be repealed or amended or otherwise directly or indirectly modified in such a manner as to impair adversely any outstanding revenue bonds that may be secured by a pledge of the municipal infrastructure gross receipts tax unless the outstanding revenue bonds have been discharged in full or provision has been fully made for their discharge. As used in Chapter 3, Article 31 NMSA 1978, "economic development gross receipts tax revenue bonds" means the bonds authorized in this subsection, and "municipal infrastructure gross receipts tax revenue" means any or all of the revenue from the municipal infrastructure gross receipts tax transferred to the municipality pursuant to Section 7-1-6.12 NMSA 1978.

J. Except for the purpose of refunding previous revenue bond issues, no municipality may sell revenue bonds payable from pledged revenues after the expiration of two years from the date of the ordinance authorizing the issuance of the bonds or, for bonds to be issued and sold to the New Mexico finance authority as authorized in Subsection C of Section 3-31-4 NMSA 1978, after the expiration of two years from the date of the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds. However, any period of time during which a particular revenue bond issue is in litigation shall not be counted in determining the expiration date of that issue."

Section 2. Section 4-55A-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1980, Chapter 91, Section 4, as amended) is amended to read:

"4-55A-4. IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT--PURPOSE.--An improvement district may be created as authorized in the County Improvement District Act in order to construct, acquire, repair or maintain in one or more locations any one or any combination of the following projects, including land served by any project and any right of way, easement or privilege appurtenant or related thereto:

A. a street, road, bridge, walkway, overpass, underpass, parkway, alley, curb, gutter or sidewalk project, including median and divider strips, parkways and boulevards, ramps and stairways, interchanges, public parking lots, alleys and intersections, arches, support structures and pilings and the grading, regrading, oiling, surfacing, graveling, excavating, macadamizing, paving, repairing, laying, backfilling, leveling, lighting, landscaping, beautifying or in any manner improving of all or any part of one or more streets, roads, bridges, walkways, pathways, curbs, gutters or sidewalks or any combination of the foregoing;

B. any utility project for providing gas, water, electricity or telephone service;

C. any storm sewer project, sanitary sewer project or water project, including investigating, planning, constructing, acquiring, excavating, laying, leveling, backfilling or in any manner improving all or any part of one or more storm sewers, drains, sanitary sewers, water lines, trunk lines, mains, laterals and property connections and acquiring or improving hydrants, meters, valves, catch basins, inlets, outlets, lift or pumping stations and machinery and equipment incidental thereto or any combination of the foregoing;

D. a flood control or storm drainage project, including the investigation, planning, construction, improvement, replacement, repair or acquisition of dams, dikes, levees, ditches, canals, basins and appurtenances such as spillways, outlets, syphons and drop structures, channel construction, diversions, rectification and protection with appurtenant structures such as concrete lining, banks, revetments, culverts, inlets, bridges, transitions and drop structures, rundowns and retaining walls, storm sewers and related appurtenances such as inlets, outlets, manholes, catch basins, syphons and pumping stations, appliances, machinery and equipment and property rights connected therewith or incidental thereto convenient and necessary to control floods or to provide drainage and lessen their danger and damages;

E. railroad spurs, railroad tracks, railyards, rail switches and any necessary real property; or

F. on-site or off-site improvements required as a condition to obtaining required approvals of a development to be served by a project, including the payment of any fees or charges levied as a means of paying for all or part of such on-site or off-site improvements."

Section 3. Section 4-55A-41 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1991, Chapter 199, Section 60) is amended to read:

"4-55A-41. COUNTY STREET AND ROAD IMPROVEMENT FUND--USE.--Bonds or assignable certificates authorized in Section 4-55A-20 NMSA 1978 for the construction of a street, road, walkway, bridge, public parking lot, overpass, underpass, pathway, alley, curb, gutter or sidewalk project may be purchased by the county's street and road improvement fund; provided that the bonds or assignable certificates shall be held in trust by the county treasurer and any receipts from the sale of the bonds or assignable certificates or from the payment of the assessment made to pay the interest and principal of the bonds or assignable certificates shall be held in trust by the county treasurer, and any receipts from the sale of the bonds or assignable certificates or from the payment of the assessment made to pay the interest and principal of the bonds or assignable certificates shall be credited to the county's street and road improvement fund."

Section 4. Section 4-55A-42 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1991, Chapter 199, Section 61) is amended to read:

"4-55A-42. COUNTY STREET AND ROAD IMPROVEMENT FUND--REPURCHASING BONDS OR CERTIFICATES--PLEDGING INCOME.--

A. The board of county commissioners may, by ordinance approved by three-fourths of all the members of the board of county commissioners and irrepealable during the term of the contract and for a period not exceeding twenty-one years, contract:

(1) to repurchase bonds or assignable certificates authorized in Section 4-55A-20 NMSA 1978 for construction of a street, road, bridge, public parking lot, walkway, overpass, underpass, pathway, alley, curb, gutter or sidewalk project with the money in the county's street and road improvement fund; or

(2) to pledge the income of the county's street and road improvement fund to pay the interest and principal of bonds or assignable certificates when default in payment may occur by reason of nonpayment of any assessment levied for the payment of a street, road, bridge, public parking lot, walkway, overpass, underpass, pathway, alley, curb, gutter or sidewalk project authorized in the County Improvement District Act.

B. The county may anticipate the annual income to be received by the county's street and road improvement fund. The amount contracted or pledged to be expended each year as authorized in this section shall not exceed the amount that is accumulated in the street and road improvement fund.

C. The ordinance authorized in this section shall state that:

(1) all disbursements made pursuant to the contract shall be paid solely from the county's street and road improvement fund and from no other source;

(2) the obligations created by the contract are not general obligations of the county; and

(3) the contracting parties may not look to any other fund for the performance of the contractual obligation.

D. In the event of disbursement from the county's street and road improvement fund pursuant to the obligations created by the contract, the county shall be subrogated for the benefit of the street and road improvement fund to all the rights and remedies of the holders of the securities upon which payment is made."

Section 5. Section 4-62-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1992, Chapter 95, Section 1, as amended by Laws 2001, Chapter 172, Section 3 and also by Laws 2001, Chapter 328, Section 2) is amended to read:

"4-62-1. REVENUE BONDS--AUTHORITY TO ISSUE--PLEDGE OF REVENUES--LIMITATION ON TIME OF ISSUANCE.--

A. In addition to any other law authorizing a county to issue revenue bonds, a county may issue revenue bonds pursuant to Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978 for the purposes specified in this section. The term "pledged revenues", as used in Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978, means the revenues, net income or net revenues authorized to be pledged to the payment of particular revenue bonds as specifically provided in Subsections B through L of this section.

B. Gross receipts tax revenue bonds may be issued for one or more of the following purposes:

(1) constructing, purchasing, furnishing, equipping, rehabilitating, making additions to or making improvements to one or more public buildings or purchasing or improving ground relating thereto, including but not necessarily limited to acquiring and improving parking lots, or any combination of the foregoing;

(2) acquiring or improving county or public parking lots, structures or facilities or any combination of the foregoing;

(3) purchasing, acquiring or rehabilitating firefighting equipment or any combination of the foregoing;

(4) acquiring, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing, otherwise improving or maintaining storm sewers and other drainage improvements, sanitary sewers, sewage treatment plants, water utilities or other water, wastewater or related facilities, including but not limited to the acquisition of rights of way and water and water rights, or any combination of the foregoing;

(5) reconstructing, resurfacing, maintaining, repairing or otherwise improving existing alleys, streets, roads or bridges or any combination of the foregoing or laying off, opening, constructing or otherwise acquiring new alleys, streets, roads or bridges or any combination of the foregoing; provided that any of the foregoing improvements may include the acquisition of rights of way;

(6) purchasing, acquiring, constructing, making additions to, enlarging, bettering, extending or equipping airport facilities or any combination of the foregoing, including without limitation the acquisition of land, easements or rights of way;

(7) purchasing or otherwise acquiring or clearing land or purchasing, otherwise acquiring and beautifying land for open space;

(8) acquiring, constructing, purchasing, equipping, furnishing, making additions to, renovating, rehabilitating, beautifying or otherwise improving public parks, public recreational buildings or other public recreational facilities or any combination of the foregoing;

(9) acquiring, constructing, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing or otherwise improving or maintaining solid waste disposal equipment, equipment for operation and maintenance of sanitary landfills, sanitary landfills, solid waste facilities or any combination of the foregoing; or

(10) acquiring, constructing, extending, bettering, repairing or otherwise improving public transit systems or any regional transit systems or facilities.

A county may pledge irrevocably any or all of the revenue from the first one-eighth of one percent increment and the third one-eighth of one percent increment of the county gross receipts tax and any increment of the county infrastructure gross receipts tax and county capital outlay gross receipts tax for payment of principal and interest due in connection with, and other expenses related to, gross receipts tax revenue bonds for any of the purposes authorized in this section or specific purposes or for any area of county government services. If the revenue from the first one-eighth of one percent increment or the third one-eighth of one percent increment of the county gross receipts tax or any increment of the county infrastructure gross receipts tax or county capital outlay gross receipts tax is pledged for payment of principal and interest as authorized by this subsection, the pledge shall require the revenues received from that increment of the county gross receipts tax or any increment of the county infrastructure gross receipts tax or county capital outlay gross [receipt] receipts tax to be deposited into a special bond fund for payment of the principal, interest and expenses. At the end of each fiscal year, money remaining in the special bond fund after the annual obligations for the bonds are fully met may be transferred to any other fund of the county.

Revenues in excess of the annual principal and interest due on gross receipts tax revenue bonds secured by a pledge of gross receipts tax revenue may be accumulated in a debt service reserve account. The governing body of the county may appoint a commercial bank trust department to act as trustee of the proceeds of the tax and to administer the payment of principal of and interest on the bonds.

C. Fire protection revenue bonds may be issued for acquiring, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing, improving, constructing, purchasing, furnishing, equipping or rehabilitating any independent fire district project or facilities, including where applicable purchasing, otherwise acquiring or improving the ground for the project, or any combination of such purposes. A county may pledge irrevocably any or all of the county fire protection excise tax revenue for payment of principal and interest due in connection with, and other expenses related to, fire protection revenue bonds. These bonds may be referred to in Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978 as "fire protection revenue bonds".

D. Environmental revenue bonds may be issued for the acquisition and construction of solid waste facilities, water facilities, wastewater facilities, sewer systems and related facilities. A county may pledge irrevocably any or all of the county environmental services gross receipts tax revenue for payment of principal and interest due in connection with, and other expenses related to, environmental revenue bonds. These bonds may be referred to in Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978 as "environmental revenue bonds".

E. Gasoline tax revenue bonds may be issued for the acquisition of rights of way for and the construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, maintenance, repair or other improvement of county roads, public parking lots and bridges. A county may pledge irrevocably any or all of the county gasoline tax revenue for payment of principal and interest due in connection with, and other expenses related to, county gasoline tax revenue bonds. These bonds may be referred to in Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978 as "gasoline tax revenue bonds".

F. Utility revenue bonds or joint utility revenue bonds may be issued for acquiring, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing or otherwise improving water facilities, sewer facilities, gas facilities or electric facilities or for any combination of the foregoing purposes. A county may pledge irrevocably any or all of the net revenues from the operation of the utility or joint utility for which the particular utility or joint utility bonds are issued to the payment of principal and interest due in connection with, and other expenses related to, utility or joint utility revenue bonds. These bonds may be referred to in Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978 as "utility revenue bonds" or "joint utility revenue bonds".

G. Project revenue bonds may be issued for acquiring, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing, improving, constructing, purchasing, furnishing, equipping or rehabilitating any revenue-producing project, including as applicable purchasing, otherwise acquiring or improving the ground therefor and including but not limited to acquiring and improving parking lots, or may be issued for any combination of the foregoing purposes. The county may pledge irrevocably any or all of the net revenues from the operation of the revenue-producing project for which the particular project revenue bonds are issued to the payment of the interest on and principal of the project revenue bonds. The net revenues of any revenue-producing project [may] shall not be pledged to the project revenue bonds issued for any other revenue-producing project that is clearly unrelated in nature; but nothing in this subsection prevents the pledge to any of the project revenue bonds of the revenues received from existing, future or disconnected facilities and equipment that are related to and that may constitute a part of the particular revenue-producing project. A general determination by the governing body that facilities or equipment is reasonably related to and constitutes a part of a specified revenue-producing project shall be conclusive if set forth in the proceedings authorizing the project revenue bonds. As used in Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978:

(1) "project revenue bonds" means the bonds authorized in this subsection; and

(2) "project revenues" means the net revenues of revenue-producing projects that may be pledged to project revenue bonds pursuant to this subsection.

H. Fire district revenue bonds may be issued for acquiring, extending, enlarging, bettering, repairing, improving, constructing, purchasing, furnishing, equipping and rehabilitating any fire district project, including where applicable purchasing, otherwise acquiring or improving the ground therefor, or for any combination of the foregoing purposes. The county may pledge irrevocably any or all of the revenues received by the fire district from the fire protection fund as provided in the Fire Protection Fund Law and any or all of the revenues provided for the operation of the fire district project for which the particular bonds are issued to the payment of the interest on and principal of the bonds. The revenues of a fire district project shall not be pledged to the bonds issued for a fire district project that clearly is unrelated in its purpose; but nothing in this section prevents the pledge to such bonds of revenues received from existing, future or disconnected facilities and equipment that are related to and that may constitute a part of the particular fire district project. A general determination by the governing body of the county that facilities or equipment is reasonably related to and constitutes a part of a specified fire district project shall be conclusive if set forth in the proceedings authorizing the fire district revenue bonds.

I. Law enforcement protection revenue bonds may be issued for the repair and purchase of law enforcement apparatus and equipment that meet nationally recognized standards. The county may pledge irrevocably any or all of the revenues received by the county from the law enforcement protection fund distributions pursuant to the Law Enforcement Protection Fund Act to the payment of the interest on and principal of the law enforcement protection revenue bonds.

J. Hospital emergency gross receipts tax revenue bonds may be issued for acquiring, equipping, remodeling or improving a county hospital or county health facility. A county may pledge irrevocably to the payment of the interest on and principal of the hospital emergency gross receipts tax revenue bonds any or all of the revenues received by the county from a county hospital emergency gross receipts tax imposed pursuant to Section 7-20E-12.1 NMSA 1978 and dedicated to payment of bonds or a loan for acquiring, equipping, remodeling or improving a county hospital or county health facility.

K. Economic development gross receipts tax revenue bonds may be issued for the purpose of furthering economic development projects as defined in the Local Economic Development Act. A county may pledge irrevocably any or all of the county infrastructure gross receipts tax to the payment of the interest on and principal of the economic development gross receipts tax revenue bonds for the purpose authorized in this subsection.

L. County education gross receipts tax revenue bonds may be issued for public school or off-campus instruction program capital projects as authorized in Section 7-20E-20 NMSA 1978. A county may pledge irrevocably any or all of the county education gross receipts tax revenue to the payment of interest on and principal of the county education gross receipts tax revenue bonds for the purpose authorized in this section.

M. Except for the purpose of refunding previous revenue bond issues, no county may sell revenue bonds payable from pledged revenue after the expiration of two years from the date of the ordinance authorizing the issuance of the bonds or, for bonds to be issued and sold to the New Mexico finance authority as authorized in Subsection C of Section

4-62-4 NMSA 1978, after the expiration of two years from the date of the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds. However, any period of time during which a particular revenue bond issue is in litigation shall not be counted in determining the expiration date of that issue.

N. No bonds may be issued by a county, other than an H class county, a class B county as defined in Section

4-36-8 NMSA 1978 or a class A county as described in Section 4-36-10 NMSA 1978, to acquire, equip, extend, enlarge, better, repair or construct a utility unless the utility is regulated by the public regulation commission pursuant to the Public Utility Act and the issuance of the bonds is approved by the commission. For purposes of Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978, a "utility" includes but is not limited to a water, wastewater, sewer, gas or electric utility or joint utility serving the public. H class counties shall obtain public regulation commission approvals required by Section 3-23-3 NMSA 1978.

O. Any law that imposes or authorizes the imposition of a county gross receipts tax, a county environmental services gross receipts tax, a county fire protection excise tax, a county infrastructure gross receipts tax, the county education gross receipts tax, a county capital outlay gross receipts tax, the gasoline tax or the county hospital emergency gross receipts tax, or that affects any of those taxes, shall not be repealed or amended in such a manner as to impair outstanding revenue bonds that are issued pursuant to Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978 and that may be secured by a pledge of those taxes unless the outstanding revenue bonds have been discharged in full or provision has been fully made therefor.

P. As used in this section:

(1) "county infrastructure gross receipts tax revenue" means the revenue from the county infrastructure gross receipts tax transferred to the county pursuant toSection 7-1-6.13 NMSA 1978;

(2) "county capital outlay gross receipts tax revenue" means the revenue from the county capital outlay gross receipts tax transferred to the county pursuant to Section 7-1-6.13 NMSA 1978;

(3) "county education gross receipts tax revenue" means the revenue from the county education gross receipts tax transferred to the county pursuant to Section 7-1-6.13 NMSA 1978;

(4) "county environmental services gross receipts tax revenue" means the revenue from the county environmental services gross receipts tax transferred to the county pursuant to Section 7-1-6.13 NMSA 1978;

(5) "county fire protection excise tax revenue" means the revenue from the county fire protection excise tax transferred to the county pursuant to Section 7-1-6.13 NMSA 1978;

(6) "county gross receipts tax revenue" means the revenue attributable to the first one-eighth of one percent and the third one-eighth of one percent increments of the county gross receipts tax transferred to the county pursuant to Section 7-1-6.13 NMSA 1978 and any distribution related to the first one-eighth of one percent made pursuant to Section 7-1-6.16 NMSA 1978;

(7) "gasoline tax revenue" means the revenue from that portion of the gasoline tax distributed to the county pursuant to Sections 7-1-6.9 and 7-1-6.26 NMSA 1978; and

(8) "public building" includes but is not limited to fire stations, police buildings, county or regional jails, county or regional juvenile detention facilities, libraries, museums, auditoriums, convention halls, hospitals, buildings for administrative offices, courthouses and garages for housing, repairing and maintaining county vehicles and equipment.

Q. As used in Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978, the term "bond" means any obligation of a county issued under Chapter 4, Article 62 NMSA 1978, whether designated as a bond, note, loan, warrant, debenture, lease-purchase agreement or other instrument evidencing an obligation of a county to make payments."

Section 6. Section 7-1-6.9 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1991, Chapter 9, Section 11, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-1-6.9. DISTRIBUTION OF GASOLINE TAXES TO MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES.--

A. A distribution pursuant to Section 7-1-6.1 NMSA 1978 shall be made in an amount equal to ten and thirty-eight hundredths percent of the net receipts attributable to the taxes, exclusive of penalties and interest, imposed by the Gasoline Tax Act.

B. Except as provided in Subsection D of this section, the amount determined in Subsection A of this section shall be distributed as follows:

(1) ninety percent of the amount shall be paid to the treasurers of municipalities and H class counties in the proportion that the taxable motor fuel sales in each of the municipalities and H class counties bears to the aggregate taxable motor fuel sales in all of these municipalities and H class counties; and

(2) ten percent of the amount shall be paid to the treasurers of the counties, including H class counties, in the proportion that the taxable motor fuel sales outside of incorporated municipalities in each of the counties bears to the aggregate taxable motor fuel sales outside of incorporated municipalities in all of the counties.

C. This distribution shall be paid into a separate road fund in the municipal treasury or county road fund for expenditure only for construction, reconstruction, resurfacing or other improvement or maintenance of public roads, streets, public parking lots, alleys or bridges, including right-of-way and materials acquisition. Money distributed pursuant to this section may be used by a municipality or county to provide matching funds for projects subject to cooperative agreements entered into with the state highway and transportation department pursuant to Section 67-3-28 NMSA 1978. Any municipality or H class county that has created or that creates a "street improvement fund" to which gasoline tax revenues or distributions are irrevocably pledged under Sections 3-34-1 through 3-34-4 NMSA 1978 or that has pledged all or a portion of gasoline tax revenues or distributions to the payment of bonds shall receive its proportion of the distribution of revenues under this section impressed with and subject to these pledges.

D. This distribution may be paid into a separate road fund or the general fund of the municipality or county if the municipality has a population less than three thousand or the county has a population less than four thousand."

Section 7. Section 7-1-6.26 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1987, Chapter 347, Section 11, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-1-6.26. COUNTY GOVERNMENT ROAD FUND--DISTRIBUTION.--

A. For the purposes of this section, "distributable amount" means the amount in the county government road fund as of the last day of any month for which a distribution is required to be made pursuant to this section in excess of the balance in that fund as of the last day of the preceding month after reduction for any required distributions for the preceding month.

B. The secretary of highway and transportation shall determine and certify on or before July 1, 1987 and on or before July 1 of each subsequent year the total miles of public roads maintained by each county pursuant to Section 66-6-23 NMSA 1978. For the purposes of this subsection, if the certified mileage of public roads maintained by a county is less than four hundred miles, the state treasurer shall increase the number of miles of public roads maintained by that county by fifty percent and revise the total miles of public roads maintained by all counties accordingly. Except as provided otherwise in Subsection D of this section, each county shall receive an amount equal to its proportionate share of miles of public roads maintained, as the number of miles for the county may have been revised pursuant to this subsection, to the total miles of public roads maintained by all counties, as that total may have been revised pursuant to this subsection, [times] multiplied by fifty percent of the distributable amount in the county government road fund.

C. Except as provided otherwise in Subsection D of this section, each county shall receive a share of fifty percent of the distributable amount in the county government road fund as determined in this subsection. The amount for each county shall be the greater of:

(1) twenty-one cents ($.21) multiplied by the county's population as shown by the most recent federal decennial census; or

(2) the proportionate share that the taxable gallons of gasoline reported for that county for the preceding fiscal year bear to the total taxable gallons of gasoline for all counties in the preceding fiscal year, as determined by the department, multiplied by fifty percent of the distributable amount in the county government road fund.

If the sum of the amounts to be distributed pursuant to Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection exceeds fifty percent of the distributable amount in the county government road fund, the excess shall be eliminated by multiplying the amount determined in Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection for each county by a fraction, the numerator of which is fifty percent of the distributable amount in the county government road fund, and the denominator of which is the sum of amounts determined for all counties in Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection.

D. If the distribution for a class A county or for an H class county determined pursuant to Subsections B and C of this section exceeds an amount equal to one-twelfth of the product of the total taxable gallons of gasoline reported for the county for the preceding fiscal year [times] multiplied by one cent ($.01), the distribution for that county shall be reduced to an amount equal to one-twelfth of the product of the total taxable gallons of gasoline reported for the county for the preceding fiscal year [times] multiplied by one cent ($.01). Any amount of the reduction shall be shared among the counties whose distribution has not been reduced pursuant to this subsection in the ratio of the amounts computed in Subsections B and C of this section.

E. If a county has not made the required mileage certification pursuant to Section 67-3-28.3 NMSA 1978 by May 1, 1988, and by April 1 of every year thereafter, of the year for which distribution is being made, the secretary of highway and transportation shall estimate the mileage maintained by those counties for the purpose of making distribution to all counties, and the amount calculated to be distributed each month to those counties not certifying mileage shall be reduced by one-third each month for that fiscal year and that amount not distributed to those counties shall be distributed equally to all counties that have certified mileages.

F. Distributions made to counties pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the county road fund to be used for the construction, reconstruction, resurfacing or other improvement or maintenance of the public roads, public parking lots and bridges in the county, including right-of-way and materials acquisition. Money distributed pursuant to this section may be used by the county to provide matching funds for projects subject to cooperative agreements entered into with the state highway and transportation department pursuant to Section 67-3-28 NMSA 1978."

Section 8. Section 7-1-6.27 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1991, Chapter 9, Section 20, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-1-6.27. DISTRIBUTION--MUNICIPAL ROADS.--

A. A distribution pursuant to Section 7-1-6.1 NMSA 1978 shall be made to municipalities for the purposes and amounts specified in this section in an aggregate amount equal to five and seventy-six hundredths percent of the net receipts attributable to the gasoline tax.

B. The distribution authorized in this section shall be used for the following purposes:

(1) reconstructing, resurfacing, maintaining, repairing or otherwise improving existing alleys, streets, public parking lots, roads or bridges, or any combination of the foregoing; or laying off, opening, constructing or otherwise acquiring new alleys, streets, roads or bridges, or any combination of the foregoing; provided that any of the foregoing improvements may include, but are not limited to, the acquisition of rights of way;

(2) to provide matching funds for projects subject to cooperative agreements with the state highway and transportation department pursuant to Section 67-3-28 NMSA 1978; and

(3) for expenses of purchasing, maintaining and operating transit operations and facilities, for the operation of a transit authority established by the municipal transit law and for the operation of a vehicle emission inspection program. A municipality may engage in the business of the transportation of passengers and property within the political subdivision by whatever means the municipality may decide and may acquire cars, trucks, motor buses and other equipment necessary for operating the business. A municipality may acquire land, erect buildings and equip the buildings with all the necessary machinery and facilities for the operation, maintenance, modification, repair and storage of the cars, trucks, motor buses and other equipment needed. A municipality may do all things necessary for the acquisition and the conduct of the business of public transportation.

C. For the purposes of this section:

(1) "computed distribution amount" means the distribution amount calculated for a municipality for a month pursuant to Paragraph (2) of Subsection D of this section prior to any adjustments to the amount due to the provisions of Subsections E and F of this section;

(2) "floor amount" means four hundred seventeen dollars ($417);

(3) "floor municipality" means a municipality whose computed distribution amount is less than the floor amount; and

(4) "full distribution municipality" means a municipality whose population at the last federal decennial census was at least two hundred thousand.

D. Subject to the provisions of Subsections E and F of this section, each municipality shall be distributed a portion of the aggregate amount distributable under this section in an amount equal to the greater of:

(1) the floor amount; or

(2) eighty-five percent of the aggregate amount distributable under this section [times] multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the municipality's reported taxable gallons of gasoline for the immediately preceding state fiscal year and the denominator of which is the reported total taxable gallons for all municipalities for the same period.

E. Fifteen percent of the aggregate amount distributable under this section shall be referred to as the "redistribution amount". Beginning in August 1990, and each month thereafter, from the redistribution amount there shall be taken an amount sufficient to increase the computed distribution amount of every floor municipality to the floor amount. In the event that the redistribution amount is insufficient for this purpose, the computed distribution amount for each floor municipality shall be increased by an amount equal to the redistribution amount [times] multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the difference between the floor amount and the municipality's computed distribution amount and the denominator of which is the difference between the product of the floor amount multiplied by the number of floor municipalities and the total of the computed distribution amounts for all floor municipalities.

F. If a balance remains after the redistribution amount has been reduced pursuant to Subsection E of this section, there shall be added to the computed distribution amount of each municipality that is neither a full distribution municipality nor a floor municipality an amount that equals the balance of the redistribution amount [times] multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the computed distribution amount of the municipality and the denominator of which is the sum of the computed distribution amounts of all municipalities that are neither full distribution municipalities nor floor municipalities."