Wednesday, March 15, 2023Please Pass The Pork, Giant $1.2 Billion Capital Outlay Bill Heads For Final Approval; Projects Aplenty For Everyone: Highlights From Across Our State This year the pork is again more plentiful than a Valencia County matanza, thanks to the still gushing oil wells in SE NM. The capital outlay bill (HB 505) expected to win final approval this week totals over $1.2 billion and has over 32 pages of projects. Because you need time to work on your Netflix watch list, we've combed through the entire 32 pages to give you the flavor of New Mexico's wants and needs. So let's take a pork barrel road trip. . . We start in the big city where Coronado Park near ABQ's downtown, a former haven for the homeless until being shut own, will undergo a $5.2 million transformation and become a Fire Rescue and Training facility. But what about the next homeless park?. . . The ABQ Gateway Center, a new homeless shelter and drug treatment center scheduled to open soon, continues to receive big dollars. The SE Heights facility won $10 million in the capital outlay bill for the project's second phase (even though the city wanted $20 million). ABQ taxpayers have put up the lion's share of the $20 million spent so far on Gateway. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department is in line for a new helicopter and it will get $2.1 million from the state to buy one. Tragically, last July four sheriff's deputies died in a department helicopter that crashed near Las Vegas, NM The Mesa Del Sol development in the SE corner of ABQ stalled out for decades but activity has picked up in recent years. The community will be getting $5.1 million for an outdoor sports complex courtesy of capital outlay. The UNM Tow Diehm Athletic Facility will look more spiffy soon, thanks to $4 million in pork. That's where the Lobo athletes hang to stay in shape for the next big game. CHAVEZ, CIBOLA AND CURRY
There is not a whole lot going on in Milan in Cibola County but the next time you're there maybe go for a swim. Capital outlay of $2.256 million was being awarded to improve the Milan pool. That's going to be some swimming hole out there. In Curry County, if you see a bunch of judges with beaming smiles, thank the capital outlay bill that puts up $14 million to build a new magistrate courthouse. That should go nicely with the new $10 million Clovis behavioral health center the city will get from Santa Fe. DOWN DONA ANA WAY Down in Dona Ana they're getting a dose of controversial pork. The $10 million for a reproductive health center being pushed by MLG still has Republicans trying to stop it, but it appears to be a go and will be used by many out of state women running up against stricter abortion laws. (The House R's were so upset over the center they voted against the entire capital outlay bill! That won't stop them from taking credit for projects, but cutting off your nose to spite your face is never a sound strategy.) We haven't flown in or out of Las Cruces in years but maybe we'll give it a whirl now that they're getting $1.050 million in funds to make improvements. Throw in another $1 million for an elections bureau warehouse. Hey, it's only money. . . FAIR GOING How about a trip to the state Fair in Grant County? That would be something new and with the fairgrounds receiving $75,000 in improvements they should be ready for you when they host their September fair. Nothing against Grant County, but we would probably opt for the Harding County Fair this August. Our smallest county by population with less than 1,000 residents is getting $375,000 to improve their fairgrounds. The drive over there through the high desert vastness is not to be missed. Just watch out for those blackbirds slamming into your windshield. LEA AND LOS ALAMOS Hey, old timers. Do you remember Republican state Senator Billy McKibben? Sure you do. And so does Lea County which will receive $120,000 to make improvements to the senior center named after the former lawmaker. Los Alamos County routinely makes the list of richest counties in the nation but they still have needs. One of them is for fire protection in the Jemez Mountains. They'll get $7 million to make the area safer from fires. BY GEORGE!
The list for his McKinley County goes on and on, including $7.5 million for a new Gallup senior center and $6.4 million for a Navajo Nation Code Talker Museum and Veterans Center. There's no talking in code when it comes to George and capital outlay. His motto is: "Show me the money." OTERO, ROOSEVELT AND SAN JUAN How about a round of golf in Alamogordo in Otero County? With a new $900,000 irrigation system the greens at the city golf course there should look much more green in that desert city. And while in Portales in Roosevelt County please don't miss out on taking a selfie with their new chip spreader. They're paying $250,000 for it--or, we should say, you are. Maybe your tastes run to shiny fire trucks. Farmington in San Juan County will have them, thanks to $2 million in capital outlay. SAN MIGUEL, SANDOVAL, SIERRA AND SANTA FE  Remember when the city of Rio Rancho in Sandoval County was nearly a crime free zone? It wasn't that long ago but no more. The suburb of ABQ will get $200,000 to install a gunshot detection system, a somewhat sad sign of the times. Not a golf or soccer fan? How about a game of pickleball? We'll meet you in Santa Fe and try to learn as we play at the new state-funded $650,000 pickle ball complex at Fort Marcy Park. Heck, we'll bill Mayor Webber for our iced tea. He can afford it. The next time you find yourself in little Williamsburg in Sierra County check out Doris Avenue for us and the new $350,000 in improvements. Then report back on whether the avenue is named after Doris Day. If that takes you too far south circle back up north to Taos County and enjoy a tour of the acequias, including Acequia del Llano de San Miguel. That one will get $10,000 to stay in shape as will many others across the north in the always illuminating state capital outlay bill. This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023 |
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