HOUSE MEMORIAL 47

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2012

INTRODUCED BY

Ben Lujan

A MEMORIAL

DECLARING FEBRUARY 3, 2012 "TRIBAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT FUND DAY" IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

     WHEREAS, many of New Mexico's tribal communities continue to lack basic infrastructure, including water and wastewater systems, roads, health care facilities and electrical service; and

     WHEREAS, the lack of such infrastructure directly results in health, economic, educational and other social disparities in tribal communities in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, despite this significant need, New Mexico's tribal communities have historically received only a small share of the state's capital outlay resources; and

     WHEREAS, in 2005, the state recognized the critical need for tribal infrastructure in New Mexico by creating the tribal infrastructure project fund and also recognized the need for consistent and adequate financial resources for infrastructure development for tribal communities by creating the tribal infrastructure trust fund; and

     WHEREAS, the relatively small amount of capital funding of two million dollars ($2,000,000) to four million dollars ($4,000,000) per year dedicated to the tribal infrastructure project fund has leveraged over seventy-seven million dollars ($77,000,000) in non-state funds in the past five years; and

     WHEREAS, in 2010, the legislature passed House Bill 162, which ensured that state funding be used effectively and efficiently to address the significant need for critical and basic infrastructure in tribal communities and appropriated five percent of the annual senior severance tax bonding capacity to the tribal infrastructure project fund; and

     WHEREAS, approximately forty-seven percent of all construction projects funded by the tribal infrastructure project fund are for water and wastewater projects; and

     WHEREAS, approximately one billion three hundred sixty million dollars ($1,360,000,000) is still needed in tribal communities to address critical and basic infrastructure needs that most New Mexicans take for granted; and

     WHEREAS, the recurring appropriation of five percent from the annual senior severance tax bonding capacity to the tribal infrastructure project fund allows a comprehensive strategy to address the daunting tribal infrastructure needs in tribal communities in New Mexico and results in increased leveraging of millions of dollars of non-state funds;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that February 3, 2012 be declared "Tribal Infrastructure Project Fund Day" in the house of representatives.

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