As Bernalillo County voters prepare to cast their ballots, there are more choices to make than deciding who should be the next president or local legislators.
Six county ballot questions will ask voters to consider approving the issuance of $40.5 million in general obligation bonds. Of that total, $8.8 million is planned for public safety facilities, other county buildings and the vehicle and heavy equipment fleet.
If approved, that money will go toward a dozen projects, including a renovation of the sheriff’s office, a new early childhood education center in the South Valley and a courthouse expansion.
The county’s website contains videos outlining the scope of the public safety and other bond questions.
Kathy Korte, the county’s chief of government affairs, said the sheriff’s office renovations and courthouse expansion items are related. The former will allow some court administrative office staff to be relocated to the county public safety building on Roma Avenue and ease some congestion at the Second Judicial District Courthouse.
“We recognize that it’s gonna take a long time to secure enough to build a courthouse annex,” Korte said. “But we have to start working on it now.”
She said the county plans to ask the New Mexico Legislature for $2.5 million for that project in the 2025 session, and a commitment of local money will help that cause.
“They’re always more inclined to assist when they know we put money in,” Korte said. “They know we’ve got a stake in the game and we’re not just asking for handouts.”
She said the public safety projects are important to county goals of reducing recidivism and cutting the population at the Metropolitan Detention Center.
General obligation bonds are one source of revenue the county relies on to pay for its capital projects. Others include state and federal grants and legislative appropriations. The bonds are sold to investors, who are paid back with interest from county revenues.
Other county bond questions seek to raise money for transportation, parks and recreation, storm drainage and utilities, public housing and libraries.
The county presents a general obligation bond package to voters every other year, and all projects receiving bond money are included in the county’s six-year capital improvement plan.
County staff say the bonds are intended to go to the neediest projects, with those that are partially funded and within reach of their goals among the priorities. The county is permitted to sell more bonds, but has in recent years stuck to a cap of about $40 million.
The package includes $1.4 million for a Bernalillo County Fire Rescue aerial tower, used in fighting fires high above ground level or rescuing people stuck on upper floors of buildings.
Korte said the money would be added to $1 million already set aside for the tower and allow the county to complete the purchase. She said the existing tower is nearly four years past its replacement date, and obtaining a new one would allow the fire department to maintain and possibly improve its industry certification status.
Other projects included in the bond question:
- $2 million toward planning, design and construction of the early childhood education center, which has a total cost of $14.16 million. The county already has $8.27 million saved for the project.
- $1.3 million for sustainability upgrades at county-owned buildings, including high-efficiency lighting and cooling and heating units, and to implement a climate action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The total project cost.is $1.6 million
- $800,000 for rebuilding the sheriff’s office shooting range. That amount represents the total project cost.
- $600,000 for roof replacements at Fire Stations 32 and 38. That amount represents the total project cost.
- $400,000 for heavy equipment replacement. The county already has the remainder of the $4 million project cost.