0001|                       SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 3
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                          ARTHUR H. RODARTE
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPOINT THE
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0012|     APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITY
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0013|     ASSOCIATIONS TO PROVIDE NATURAL GAS UTILITY SERVICES IN RIO
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0014|     ARRIBA AND SANDOVAL COUNTIES.
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0015|     
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0016|          WHEREAS, in a rural state such as New Mexico, utility
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0017|     services for dispersed communities are often inadequate to
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0018|     meet their needs and economies and citizens' welfare may
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0019|     suffer because of inadequate revenue streams for utilities
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0020|     such as natural gas; and
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0021|          WHEREAS, substantial investments in infrastructure are
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0022|     required from consumers and new customers before private for-
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0023|     profit companies can justify their decisions to construct the
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0024|     needed service infrastructure; and
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0025|          WHEREAS, rural communities, with their limited tax base
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0001|     and dispersed service population, such as those in Rio Arriba
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0002|     and Sandoval counties in particular, are limited in their
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0003|     abilities to provide public investment for utility services;
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0004|     and
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0005|          WHEREAS, the legislature has enacted various measures,
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0006|     such as the New Mexico Community Assistance Act, the Water and
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0007|     Sanitation District Act, the Community Service District Act
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0008|     and the Special District Procedures Act to provide communities
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0009|     the means to address unmet needs;
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0010|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0011|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative council be requested
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0012|     to direct the appropriate interim committee to study the needs
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0013|     of rural communities, especially in Rio Arriba and Sandoval
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0014|     counties, for mechanisms such as special districts or
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0015|     associations to obtain affordable natural gas utility services
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0016|     in underserved communities and to report its recommendations
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0017|     to the legislative council by November 1, 1998; and
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0018|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0019|     transmitted to the members of the legislative council.
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0020|                                  
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0021|     
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0022|          
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