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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Campos

DATE TYPED 2/28/05

HB 538

SHORT TITLE Historic Preservation Educational Programs

SB

ANALYST Hadwiger

APPROPRIATION

($000s)

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$125.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates SB18.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Cultural Affairs Department

Energy, Minerals & Natural Resources Department

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 538 appropriates $125 thousand from the general fund to the historic preservation di-

vision of the Cultural Affairs Department in FY06 for expenditure in FY06 and subsequent fiscal

years for development of educational programs in historic preservation and regionalism.

Significant Issues

According to the Cultural Affairs Department (DCA), there are no comprehensive historic pres-

ervation and regionalism programs offered at New Mexico colleges, universities, community

colleges or technical institutes. DCA indicates that local communities in the State will benefit

economically from these programs in the areas of planning, rehabilitation and economic devel-

opment through the re-use of historic buildings and property owner utilization of the state tax

House Bill 538 -- Page 2

credit program for rehabilitation. University level programs in historic preservation and region-

alism create a need for “real life” preservation projects for students. The historic preservation

division (HPD) has the statewide purview to advise and provide projects to such a program.

DCA further indicates that development of educational programs in historic preservation and re-

gionalism would greatly assist and enhance the performance of HPD. With state and federal re-

sponsibilities to review publicly funded projects, HPD’s ability to adequately provide technical

assistance and planning support to communities is less than the annual number of statewide re-

quests. Historic preservation and regionalism coursework at the university level will help ad-

dress this problem. HPD staff currently provide technical assistance to courses in public history

and cultural resource management at University of New Mexico and New Mexico State Univer-

sity and the proposed educational programs would add much needed components to the course-

work at either or both of the schools.

DCA indicates that this would be a non-recurring appropriation; however, it is not clear whether

the funds would be used to create an ongoing educational program in New Mexico higher educa-

tional institutions. While it is possible the funds could be spent to develop materials to enhance

existing coursework, the DCA objective of creating a comprehensive historic preservation and

regional program at a New Mexico institution of higher education would likely require additional

resources. It thus appears the appropriation request is recurring. The amount of funding in this

bill does not appear adequate to achieve the DCA objective.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

According to DCA, New Mexico communities, HPD, and other state agencies would benefit

from this bill because it would provide profess ional education and training to university level

students who could then perform architectural history, preservation design review, and commu-

nity and regional planning jobs in both private and public sectors. DCA indicates that New Mex-

ico is in need of professionals that can assist communities in writing State and National Register

nominations, preserving traditional land use patterns and their related historic structures and as-

serts that many such positions are currently filled by out-of-state professionals who earn their

undergraduate and graduate degrees in other states and are trained in different regional architec-

tural styles and property types than those common in New Mexico.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $125,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund,

according to DCA. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal

year 2006 would not revert to the general fund. If the purpose of the appropriation is to create

comprehensive historic preservation and regional programs at New Mexico institutions of higher

education, this program would likely require substantial additional resources in order to achieve

its objectives.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1.

How does the Cultural Affairs Department intend to use these funds. Would they be

contracted to researchers to develop teaching materials. Would they be used to develop a

model program for comprehensive historic preservation in higher education.

House Bill 538 -- Page 3

2.

What type of educational program would result in higher education institutions as a result

of expenditure of these funds. What degree would graduates of the program be awarded.

How would this program be funded at each institution.

3.

What is the current content of the planning and archaeology programs at UNM, NMSU,

NM Tech and other higher educational institutions with regard to historic preservation.

Has a study been completed that identifies the specific gaps that need to be addressed

with these funds.

DH/njw:lg