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A JOINT MEMORIAL
RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY 4, 2008 TO BE "COLONIAS DAY" AND
REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR AND HIS CABINET TO ASSIST LOCAL
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN NEW MEXICO BY
ADDING RURAL COMMUNITIES AND COLONIAS TO THE STATE'S PRIORITY
ACTION LIST OF PROGRAMS AND WATER PROJECTS FOR LEGISLATIVE
FUNDING.
WHEREAS, the board of directors of the New Mexico
association of counties comprises the elected officials who
are responsible for the health, welfare and safety of the
residents of New Mexico's thirty-three counties, and these
board members are asked to represent and address the needs of
these residents; and
WHEREAS, the administration of Governor Richardson is to
be commended for targeting statewide improvements in
education, water issues, infrastructure and economic
development, and a natural extension of those initiatives
would be the addition of infrastructure improvements for
rural and colonias communities to the statewide priority
action list; and
WHEREAS, rural and colonias communities are sorely
lacking in infrastructure, accessibility, opportunities and
sanitation services, and by working together, the state and
individual counties could lift up these communities and
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provide better futures for the children in the communities
who will in turn raise their own families on family
properties, thereby making meaningful progress toward
enhancing the most basic of human needs in these challenged
communities; and
WHEREAS, residents of rural and colonias communities
statewide face harsh challenges on a daily basis, but they
are proud people who are reluctant to ask for help; and
WHEREAS, individual counties continue to undertake
independent and ambitious infrastructure improvement plans
designed to enhance social and economic development
opportunities for all residents of New Mexico; and
WHEREAS, by initiating a statewide improvement program
for rural and colonias communities, the state could partner
with the thirty-three counties to empower these small
communities and dramatically improve the quality of life in
them, while simultaneously creating new entrepreneurial zones
that will complement existing projects in incorporated
municipalities;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
STATE OF NEW MEXICO that February 4, 2008 be recognized as
"Colonias Day" in the legislature; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Governor Richardson and his
cabinet be requested to work with the board of directors of
the New Mexico association of counties to assist local
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efforts to improve the quality of life in the state and to
add improvements for rural communities and colonias to the
state's priority action list of programs for legislative
funding; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
transmitted to the governor and to the board of directors of
the New Mexico association of counties.