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

SPONSOR Wallace

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/8/07

HB 898

SHORT TITLE Santa Fe Airport Fire Station Personnel

SB

ANALYST Propst

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$250.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Companion to SB 730

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 898 appropriates $250.0 from the General Fund to DFA for personnel and firefighting

gear expenses at the Santa Fe Airport fire station.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $250.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the General Fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 shall revert to the

General Fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DFA reports that the Governor and the Mayor of Santa Fe are trying to generate revenue and

increase tourism to Santa Fe by enabling larger regional jets to land at the Santa Fe Airport.

Before the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will allow larger jets to land at the airport, the

airport must show that it can provide the appropriate level of fire protection.

House Bill 898 – Page

2

The FAA has purchased a fire truck for the airport which should be delivered in early February.

Five new firefighters have been hired and begin training in March. The Santa Fe Fire Department

hopes to have the fire station at the airport fully functional by June 9, 2007.

HB 898 provides the Santa Fe Fire Department with $250.0 to pay for personnel costs until the

airport can begin generating additional revenue to pay the firefighters salary, and to purchase the

necessary firefighting equipment for the Santa Fe Airport. The equipment to be purchased:

specialized suits; specialized hose for the fire truck; Jaws of Life that can separate the metal of

aircraft; and breathing apparatus' for the firefighters

Until the firefighters are trained and the necessary equipment is in place, the FAA will not allow

larger jets to land at the Santa Fe Airport.

AMENDMENTS

DFA recommends that the appropriation be made available for spending in FY07 and FY08.

This would require an emergency clause.

WEP/nt