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

SPONSOR Varela, L.

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/26/06

HB 223

SHORT TITLE Santa Fe Fiesta

SB

ANALYST Earnest

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$62.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Tourism Department (TD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

HB 223 appropriates $62 thousand ($62,000) from the general fund to the Tourism Department

to plan, operate, promote and conduct the Santa Fe fiesta activities.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $62,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY07 shall revert to the gen-

eral fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Santa Fe Fiesta traces its roots to a 1712 proclamation establishing the first Fiesta de Santa

Fe. La Fiesta de Santa Fe is organized each year by the Santa Fe Fiesta Council. The Santa Fe

Fiesta Council is a volunteer organization created by the original proclamation and including 100

members plus representatives of 20 civic organizations and businesses. Events include the Fiesta

Queen and her Court, a reenactment of the entry of Don Diego de Vargas and his 17-member

retinue, two parades, dancing, singing, arts and crafts, and religious processions. La Fiesta be-

House Bill 223 – Page 2

gins the Thursday after Labor Day, with the burning of Zozobra (Old Man Gloom), the most dis-

tinctively Anglo contribution to the more than 290-year-old celebration. Festivities continue

throughout the weekend with a children’s pet parade, a historical/hysterical

parade, regional food and more.

September 2006 will mark the 294

th

consecutive Santa Fe Fiesta. The activities of the Fiesta are

an important part of Santa Fe’s attraction for tourists. Fiesta offers tourists, as well as New

Mexicans from other parts of the state, a compelling reason to visit Northern New Mexico.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

The Tourism Department is supportive of activities and events that result in increased visitation

to and within New Mexico, a key measure of NMTD performance. With its historical and cul-

tural significance, the Santa Fe fiesta is one of the top events held in New Mexico each year.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

None identified.

BE/mt