HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 63

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Roberto "Bobby" J. Gonzales

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND IDENTIFY ADEQUATE, EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FUNDING MECHANISMS FOR LOCAL ROAD CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico has more than forty-four thousand lane miles of municipal and county roads, the conditions of which are deteriorating; and

     WHEREAS, House Memorial 35, which passed the legislature in 2007, calls for a review of the state's current and future transportation needs and identification of funding strategies for a sustainable transportation system; and

     WHEREAS, the report that was generated as a result of that memorial focuses primarily on funding for state roads and interstate highways due to the significant flow of traffic on those roads; and

     WHEREAS, the report acknowledges that total transportation revenue in New Mexico has not kept up with inflation and the growing demand on the transportation system; and

     WHEREAS, it is critical for the health, welfare and safety of people who travel on municipal and county roads that the roads be adequately maintained and improved on a regular schedule; and

     WHEREAS, counties and municipalities have different but equally compelling needs to maintain and improve local roads; and

     WHEREAS, counties and municipalities have the responsibility to provide safe roads for the transport of children in school buses on those local roads; and

     WHEREAS, the integrity and periodic improvement of local roads are important to support economic development statewide; and

     WHEREAS, municipal and county roads are primarily funded from the local governments road fund that has a complex formula for distribution of those funds; and

     WHEREAS, the distribution of funds has not kept pace with the transportation needs in counties and municipalities; and

     WHEREAS, the increasing cost of maintaining and improving local roads due to the increased cost of materials and labor puts a burden on the counties and municipalities with the responsibility for that maintenance and improvement;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of transportation be requested to convene a task force to study and identify adequate, equitable and sustainable funding mechanisms for local road construction, maintenance and improvement; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include representation from the New Mexico association of counties, the New Mexico municipal league and regional and metropolitan planning organizations; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force identify and recommend mechanisms to increase the amount of funding in the local governments road fund as well as the distribution from the local governments road fund to counties and municipalities; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the findings and recommendations of the task force be reported to the appropriate interim legislative committee by November 1, 2009; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of transportation, the New Mexico association of counties, the New Mexico municipal league and regional and metropolitan planning organizations.

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