Las Cruces mayor holds meetings on $35.6 million GO BOND

Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagashima started a series of community meetings Tuesday regarding a proposed $35.6 million General Obligation Bond that could bring improvements to the City.

New sports fields and courts, recreational trails, an animal shelter and a fire station were listed on the mail-in ballot, starting July 24, as potential additions to Las Cruces.

The $35.6 million needed for the GO Bond are divided as such:

$16.9 million for park and recreational fields

$9.8 million for a new stray animal and adoption center in addition to administration offices on the site of the existing facility.

$6.2 million to replace Fire Station No. 3, which was built in 1967, and increase the department’s capability to respond to the increasing demand.

$2.7 million walking jogging and biking trails.

Voters are not required to vote GO Bond in its entirety. “They can either vote for all four, or three ,or two ,or just one of them,” Miyagashima said.

The listed improvements would be financed through the increase of property taxes.

Full Value

Assesed Value

Annual Property Tax Increase

$100,000

$33,333

$70.00

$125,000

$41,667

$87.00

$150,000

$50,000

$105.00

$175,000

$58,333

$122.00

$200,000

$66,667

$140.00

Danny Ortega said he doubts that will sit well with voters, particularly those in subsets of communities.

“Senior citizens live on a fixed income,” said Ortega. “We have to pay more money. Our senior citizens, our veterans, $70 means a lot to them, and it’s hard for them to get that.”

Typically, GO Bonds are paid back within 10 to 15 years based on an interest rate the city’s credit rating determines. Miyagashima said the city plans on repaying the debt faster because of the lower interest rates it was offered, adding that the city has no GO Bond, as the previous one was passed 50 years ago.

“At the very longest it would be 10 years,” Miyagashima said. “We actually think that we’re going to get close to 5 to 7 years.”

Mail-in ballots must be sent in the post or hand-delivered to the Doña Ana County Government Center, 845 N. Motel Blvd, by August 21 at 7 p.m.

Meeting schedule:

Tuesday, July 17

Sunrise Elementary School, 5300 Holman Rd., Cafeteria, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Doña Ana Community College, Auditorium, 2800 Sonoma Ranch Blvd., 7-8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 18

City Hall, 700 N. Main St., Council Chambers, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Munson Center, 975 S. Mesquite St., 7-8:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 19

Lynn Middle School, 950 S. Walnut St., Cafeteria, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 Bell Ave., 7-8:30 p.m.

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