A RESOLUTION

EXPRESSING THE INTENT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO AUTHORIZE THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS FOR CAPITAL OUTLAY PROJECTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF NEW MEXICANS AND THAT EQUITABLY SERVE ALL NEW MEXICANS.

WHEREAS, the constitutional authority to make state policy and to appropriate state funds rests with the people of the state of New Mexico as expressed through their elected representatives in the house of representatives and the senate; and

WHEREAS, as the elected representatives of the people, legislators understand and respect the policymaking and appropriating responsibilities and duties that have been entrusted to them; and

WHEREAS, decisions on how best to allocate the funds that are available annually for capital outlay projects are among the most difficult decisions that legislators make each year as they work to evaluate the relative merits of various projects; and

WHEREAS, the legislature has balanced the need to fund projects of statewide impact with the need to fund local projects by authorizing more than six hundred ten million dollars ($610,000,000) for state projects since 1998 compared to less than four hundred twenty million dollars ($420,000,000) for local projects; and

WHEREAS, since 1998, more than sixty percent of the funding authorized has been for public school and higher education projects; road, highway and other transportation projects; public safety and law enforcement projects; health care, child care and daycare projects; government building projects; and water projects, and less than ten percent of the funding over that time period was authorized for parks, recreation, school sports, playgrounds or miscellaneous projects; and

WHEREAS, the method employed by the legislature of allocating funds for capital outlay projects has ensured that such funding is distributed equitably throughout the state so that all New Mexico residents enjoy the economic, health, safety, educational and social benefits of infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, a variety of funding sources are available for capital outlay projects and the legislature's evaluation of projects should ensure that the proposed source of project financing is the best source for each project selected to be funded; and

WHEREAS, despite the wise decisions that have been made in the past, improvements can be made to the method of allocating capital outlay funds to ensure that the state's resources are used in the most efficient manner;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the following guidelines be adopted in considering the appropriation of state funds for capital outlay projects in 2004:

A. funding for capital outlay projects should be distributed equitably to all regions of the state to ensure that all New Mexico residents share in the economic, health, safety, educational and social benefits of improved infrastructure;

B. capital outlay projects that are important to public health, safety, education and transportation should continue to be funded before other projects are funded;

C. projects that are prepared to draw funding by January 2005 should be authorized to receive funding before other projects;

D. a majority of the funds available for capital outlay projects should continue to be allocated to projects having statewide significance;

E. a portion of funds available for capital outlay projects should be allocated to renovating and repairing existing infrastructure rather than initiating new projects;

F. projects that have support from other governmental units, as evidenced by matching funding, prudent and reasonable commitments for operation, projected use studies, prior review by policymaking bodies or similar evidence, should have priority for funding over other projects;

G. projects financed with the proceeds from the sale of bonds should have a projected useful life equal to or longer than the life of the bond;

H. projects that will require funding for multiple phases should be funded only with the understanding that the legislature and its financing partners will be asked to fund the subsequent phases of the project;

I. projects for which reauthorization is sought should be subject to the same guidelines as all other projects; and

J. projects should not be authorized if doing so would violate Article 9, Section 14 of the constitution of New Mexico.