Land Theft and Illegal Taxes

A community meeting will be held on Friday, January 24, beginning at 3 PM, at the Ramada Palms in Las Cruces. Doors will open at 2:15 PM and seating is first-come, first-serve. Senators Heinrich and Udall are hosting this public listening session to allow New Mexicans to join the conversation on this issue.

Urgent Call to Action: Las Cruces and Dona Ana County, now is the time to make your voices heard. The proposed designation of the Organ Mountains as a national monument will hurt local businesses and residents in Dona Ana County. We encourage all New Mexicans to join with those who have voiced their opposition. Supporters of taking more of New Mexican land will be out in force early at this meeting. Doors will open at 2:15 PM; please arrive early to make sure you have your voices heard:

Dona Ana County Sheriff Todd Garrison says: “It’s going to tie up a huge portion of land that is going to create an avenue of access for illegal activity.”

What a Dona Ana rancher says about the land that is already a Wilderness Study Area: The land has “enough restrictions to protect this land forever. It does not need any other designation.”

The fact is control of New Mexican land should stay in the hands of New Mexicans. Please attend this meeting and take a stand for your land!

BERNALILLO COUNTY Call to Action on Illegal Tax Proposal: Some Bernalillo County Commissioners are looking to make up for losses (thanks to the County Treasurer) on the backs of Bernalillo county residents in unincorporated areas. The irony of the Ordinance, “Taxpayer Protection Act”, is that it would impose a fee for right-of-way use on utility companies (gas, electric, phone, cable, . . . etc.) which is nothing more than another tax on each utility bill. The current ordinance is silent as to proposed charges and would be negotiated separately. So much for transparency!

A vote on this ordinance is currently planned for Tuesday, 1/28/14.

Whether you live in the unincorporated area of Bernalillo County or not, we need a strong showing at the Bernalillo County hearing on Tuesday, January 28, 5:00 PM, Vincent E. Griego Chambers, One Civic Plaza NW.

If you are unable to attend, we urge you to call Commissioners Maggie Hart Stebbins (505) 468-7108, Art De La Cruz (505) 468-7448, and Debbie O’Malley (505) 468-7027, and ask them to vote NO on the “Taxpayer Protection Act”.

Please contact the New Mexico Business Coalition at (505) 836-4223 or nmbiz@nmbizcoalition.org for more information.