BOND ISSUES & FUNDING CHANGES '22 VOTER GUIDE
It’s important that each voter is educated in every election so they can be well-informed and make and good decisions at the polls.
We encourage all voters to look at the summaries, effects, and consequences of each proposed constitutional amendment and bond issue below:
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 1
Constitutional Amendment 1 would allocate an ADDITIONAL 1.25% of the five-year average of year-end market values of the money in the Land Grant Permanent Fund to early childhood education (60%) and public education (40%).
- As of 2020, the New Mexico Constitution provided that the annual distribution from the fund was 5%, which is what economists recommend. This amendment would increase the total annual distribution to 6.25%, which will eventually damage the fund for future use.
- Importantly, the state is currently unable to spend the money available for education. “We have more money than we need,”Patricia Lundstrom, Chair of the House Appropriations and Finance and Legislative Finance Committees. 8/26/21
- Education funding has increased significantly over the past 15 years and still New Mexico is ranked last in the U.S. for educational performance and we are failing our children. More money is obviously NOT the answer!
VOTING YES: supports allocating an additional 1.25% of the five-year average of year-end market values of the money in the Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF) to early childhood education and the public-school permanent fund and providing that the allocation would not occur if the average year-end market value for the preceding five years of the LGPF fund balance was below $17 billion.
VOTING NO: opposes this amendment to allocate an additional 1.25% of the five-year average of year-end market values of the Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF) to early childhood education and the public school permanent fund. Leaving distributions at 5% as economist have recommended will help assure the fund is healthy in perpetuity. We need more accountability for improved outcomes from our educational system – not more money and terrible results.
NMBC recommends: Voting “NO” on Constitutional Amendment 1
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 2 TO ARTICLE IX
SUMMARY
This is a constitutional amendment to Article IX of the State Constitution, Authorizing Funds for Residential Services Infrastructure and adding an exemption to the state’s anti-donation clause.
- If approved, this would allow the state legislature to appropriate state funds (through a majority vote in each chamber) for infrastructure for essential services, which includes any infrastructure that allows internet, energy, water, wastewater or other services provided by law.”
- The amendment states that implementing this legislation for the essential services must contain a “safeguard to protect taxpayer dollars.”
- Currently, there isn’t an exception for essential service infrastructure in Article IX and this would be a new exception.
WHAT YOUR VOTE SAYS
VOTING YES: Will allow the legislature to skirt the anti-donation clause, which is contrary to prudent taxpayer protection. This CA would appropriate state funds for infrastructure including services primarily for residential use—such as internet, electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater—through a majority vote in each chamber.
VOTING NO: Will NOT allow or authorize the legislature to avoid the state’s anti-donation clause and appropriate state funds for infrastructure. There is a reason the state has an anti-donation clause, and it should remain in place. This is a backdoor attempt to get free services for certain people, including those who are not citizens.
NMBC recommends: Voting “NO” on Constitutional Amendment 2
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 3
SUMMARY
This would amend Section 35 of Article VI of the New Mexico Constitution, which addresses the appellate judges nominating commission and would also affect state supreme court justices, district court judges, and metropolitan court judges.
- Constitutional Amendment 3 would provide that an appointed judge would be up for election at the first general election one year after being appointed. The winning candidate of that election would serve the remainder of the term in effect.
WHAT YOUR VOTE SAYS
VOTING YES: Will allow the constitutional amendment to provide that an appointed judge shall be up for election at the first general election one year after being appointed.
VOTING NO: Will NOT allow this constitutional amendment, thus maintaining that an appointed judge be up for election at the next general election.
NMBC recommends: Voting “YES” on Constitutional Amendment 3
BOND ISSUE 1
SUMMARY
Bond Issue 1 would issue almost $24.5 million in bonds to make structural changes for select senior citizen facilities across the state.
- This money would come out of a “General Obligation Bond,” which is considered a public debt and is paid for using state funds, specifically funds from a statewide property tax in New Mexico.
WHAT YOUR VOTE SAYS
VOTING YES: Will allow the sale and issuance of $24,470,000 in bonds, for senior citizen facility improvements.
VOTING NO: Will NOT allow the sale and issuance of $24,470,000 in bonds for senior citizen facility improvements and result in a decrease in property taxes.
NMBC recommends a vote of “NO” on Bond Issue 1
NOTE: We love our seniors but feel that until the government becomes better stewards of our tax dollars, we need to pull back the authority we give it – especially in the overuse and abuse of our tax dollars. You can rest assured that the facilities will still be maintained, because the government built them and is responsible for maintaining them.
BOND ISSUE 2
SUMMARY
Bond Question 2 would issue up to $19,266,000 in general obligation bonds for library improvements at public libraries, public school libraries, academic libraries and tribal libraries statewide.
- This money would come out of a “General Obligation Bond,” which is considered a public debt and is paid for using state funds, specifically funds from a statewide property tax in New Mexico.
WHAT YOUR VOTE SAYS
VOTING YES: Will allow the sale and issuance of $19,266,000 in bonds, for public library improvements.
VOTING NO: Will NOT allow the sale and issuance of $19,266,000 in bonds for public library improvements and result in a decrease in property taxes.
NMBC recommends a vote of “NO” on Bond Issue 2
NOTE: We support education and helping our children, but libraries have largely been replaced by computers. Investment should be in computers – not putting more of our tax dollars into facilities that don’t get used as they once did. Our government is generally not a good steward of our tax dollars, and sometimes you just need to say NO!
BOND ISSUE 3
SUMMARY
Bond question 3 would issue up to $215,986,000 in “General Obligation Bonds” to make structural changes for higher education, special schools, and tribal schools.
- This money would come out of a “General Obligation Bond,” which is considered a public debt and is paid for using state funds, specifically funds from a statewide property tax in New Mexico.
WHAT YOUR VOTE SAYS
VOTING YES: Will allow the sale and issuance of $215,986,000 in bonds, for improvements to higher education, special public schools, and tribal schools.
VOTING NO: Will NOT allow the sale and issuance of $215,986,000 in bonds for improvements to higher education, special public schools, and tribal schools and result in a decrease in property taxes.