SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 86

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

John Pinto

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION OF THE TAXATION AND REVENUE DEPARTMENT TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION FIELD OFFICE IN SHIPROCK.

     WHEREAS, Shiprock is the largest community west of Farmington in San Juan county; and

     WHEREAS, over one-half of the population of San Juan county lives outside of the municipalities of Farmington, Bloomfield and Aztec; and

     WHEREAS, forty percent of the population of San Juan county is Native American and most of that population lives west of Farmington; and

     WHEREAS, although there are three motor vehicle division field offices in San Juan county, they are located in Farmington, Aztec and Bloomfield, with no offices located in the western part of the county; and

     WHEREAS, residents of western San Juan county oftentimes must drive for more than an hour to get to the Farmington office, the one that is closest to them, and then, due to the high traffic in that office, must wait up to five hours to be served; and

     WHEREAS, this situation will only get worse since the greatest increase in the population of San Juan county is in the western part of the county, where one-half of the county's population of children fourteen years of age and younger now reside; and

     WHEREAS, locating a motor vehicle division field office in Shiprock will help relieve the long lines and long waiting times at the Farmington motor vehicle division field office and will allow that office to run more efficiently;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department be requested to study the feasibility of establishing a motor vehicle division field office in Shiprock; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department report its findings to the Indian affairs committee no later than November 2005 and provide the legislative council service library with two copies of the written report it develops pursuant to this memorial; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of taxation and revenue, the director of the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department, the secretary of Indian affairs and the chapter president of the Shiprock chapter of the Navajo Nation.

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