Governor Bill Richardson Signs Historic $470 Million Capital Investment Bill

Governor Bill Richardson Signs Historic $470 Million Capital Investment Bill

Governor Bill Richardson has signed House Bill 885 that provides $469,653,994 for 3,310 capital projects across New Mexico- the largest amount allocated for capital outlay in state history.

"We have begun a new day in capital investment in New Mexico- the old ways are gone," said Governor Richardson, referring to the old process of dividing capital outlay in thirds among the Governor, State Senate, and House. "I am proud to say the
legislature and I worked together to invest this record funding in projects that will truly help continue to move New Mexico forward. We put the state's priority needs first- schools, water projects, and roads- and also invested in thousands of key community projects across the state."

Capital Outlay by County (net, after line item vetos)
Bernalillo- $92,109,287 Mora- $ 2,311,500
Catron- $ 315,000 Otero- $ 9,178,714
Chaves- $ 6,566,811 Quay- $ 2,402,000
Cibola- $ 5,352,000 Rio Arriba- $ 9,027,000
Colfax- $ 3,248,000 Roosevelt- $ 4,093,143
Curry- $ 4,640,355 San Juan- $16,117,936
De Baca- $ 458,000 San Miguel- $ 8,405,400
Doña Ana- $28,965,752 Sandoval- $15,902,026
Eddy- $ 6,370,359 Santa Fe- $22,533,443
Grant- $10,018,148 Sierra- $ 4,746,116
Guadalupe- $ 2,910,000 Socorro- $ 3,702,000
Harding- $ 653,000 Taos- $ 6,536,000
Hidalgo- $ 1,802,000 Torrance- $ 2,599,500
Lea- $ 7,406,360 Union- $ 1,557,392
Lincoln- $ 4,643,000 Valencia- $13,925,321
Luna- $ 2,375,000 Multiple County Projects- $ 9,435,500
McKinley- $ 9,580,541 Statewide Projects- $149,511,000
Total Capital Outlay- $469,653,994.

Governor Richardson line item vetoed only 45 projects included in HB 885 for a total of $1,861,000.

Here is the Governor's message to the House leadership regarding HB 885.

"Honorable Speaker Luján and Members of the House:

The massive capital outlay bill that I am signing today is a quantum leap forward in our continuing effort to rebuild New Mexico. The nearly $470 million dollars in projects this legislation funds today, along with the two public works bills I signed in 2003 and 2004, mean my Administration and the Legislature have now invested over $1 billion dollars in public infrastructure projects statewide in just three years. That's a record. It is important to keep in mind that over the next 10 years, New Mexico faces a serious infrastructure problem. The need to repair buildings that have been poorly maintained, the demands for new infrastructure that arise from rapid population growth, and the public facilities necessary to support a growing economy and an improving quality of life will require us to invest over $20 billion dollars in rebuilding our State. Hundreds of neighborhood schools need to be modernized, college campuses need new classrooms and leaking municipal water systems need fixing. Young families just getting started need access to affordable housing, senior citizens need access to quality health care
clinics and hospitals and commuters need better roads and convenient mass transit. In sum, we need to rebuild New Mexico.

This public works legislation not only breaks the record for size, but also for its design and content. Bound by the Rule of Thirds the House, Senate and the Governor over the last 30 years each took one-third of the available capital outlay monies. That outdated system is now history. This year, after much discussion, we agreed to take $100 million dollars off the top and fund statewide priorities first. Priorities like water, job creation, health care, affordable housing, renewable energy and new schools now will be first in line rather than last. This is a big, important change that I trust will become common
practice in the future.

More than statewide priorities are funded by this legislation. The bricks and mortar to support New Mexico's other priorities and this Administration's new initiatives are also funded. More specifically:

• More than $97 million dollars for school construction
• More than $36 million dollars for college and university campus
construction
• More than $54 million dollars for roads and highways
• More than $70 million dollars for water and environment projects
• More than $25 million dollars for cultural affairs projects
• More than $10 million dollars for senior citizen projects

Other very positive changes are occurring regarding infrastructure planning and finance. The Legislature has funded a second round of water innovation projects based on the success of the 25 they funded last year. Also, funding was provided to the new capital outlay unit at the Department of Finance and Administration so that we have the projects funded by this legislation built on time and under budget. Additionally, to a large degree the projects funded this year were chosen on the basis of fixing it first so that we can reduce our statewide-deferred maintenance backlog. Finally, many of the projects reflect a renewed commitment to the leveraging of fiscal resources between all levels of government: local, state, tribal and federal.

The only projects that I have chosen to veto this year are ones that are clearly local community responsibilities, inconsistent with state gaming compact obligations, or are in conflict with good infrastructure policy or state public policy priorities.
I look forward to working closely with the Legislature again next year in this ongoing effort to improve the capital outlay process so that we invest in projects that are consistent with statewide priorities.

I have this day SIGNED HOUSE BILL 885, as amended, with emergency clause and certificate of correction, passed by the Forty-seventh Legislature, First Session, 2005 and for the reasons stated above; have vetoed the following item or items, part or parts: On page 37, I have vetoed all of lines 23 through 25, and on page 38, I have vetoed all of lines 1 through 9, and on line 10, I have vetoed through the semicolon.

On page 47, I have vetoed all of lines 13 through 15.

On page 48, I have vetoed all of lines 7 through 9.

On page 78, I have vetoed all of lines 23 through 25, and on page 79, I have vetoed all of
lines 1 through 4.

On page 98, I have vetoed all of lines 11 through 14.

On page 101, I have vetoed all of lines 19 through 22.

On page 102, I have vetoed all of lines 21 through 23.

On page 108, I have vetoed all of line 25, and on page 109, I have vetoed all of lines 1
through 2.

On page 115, I have vetoed all of lines 6 through 8.

On page 143, I have vetoed all of lines 1 through 3.

On page 151, I have vetoed all of lines 1 through 3.

On page 192, I have vetoed all of lines 21 through 23.

On page 197, I have vetoed all of lines 7 through 15, and on line 16, I have vetoed
through the semicolon.

On page 197, I have vetoed all of lines 20 through 25 and on page 198, I have vetoed all
of lines 1 through 7.

On page 209, I have vetoed all of lines 9 through 11.

On page 209, I have vetoed all of lines 15 through 17.

On page 234, I have vetoed all of lines 4 through 5.

On page 249, I have vetoed all of lines 22 through 24.

On page 250, I have vetoed all of lines 6 through 8.

On page 258, I have vetoed all of lines 10 through 13.

On page 258, I have vetoed all of lines 17 through 18.

On page 283, I have vetoed all of lines 2 through 4.

On page 284, I have vetoed all of lines 22 through 25.

On page 285, I have vetoed all of lines 1 through 4.

On page 289, line 9, after the word "district", I have vetoed the remainder of the line, and
on line 10, I have vetoed the word "county".

On page 308, I have vetoed all of lines 7 through 10.

On page 316, I have vetoed all of lines 14 through 16.

On page 319, I have vetoed all of lines 24 through 25, and on page 320, I have vetoed all
of lines 1 through 6.

On page 322, I have vetoed all of lines 4 through 6.

On page 328, I have vetoed all of lines 21 through 23.

On page 332, I have vetoed all of lines 7 through 9.

On page 336, I have vetoed all of lines 3 through 12.

On page 361, I have vetoed all of line 25, and on page 362, I have vetoed all of lines 1
through 3, and on line 4, I have vetoed through the semicolon.

On page 362, line 9, after the word "fund", I have vetoed the remainder of the line, and on line 10, I have vetoed through the second occurrence of the word "FUND".

On page 362, line 12, after the word "fund", I have vetoed the remainder of the line, and I have vetoed all of lines 13 through 19, and on line 20, I have vetoed through the word "fund".

On page 362, line 25, after the word "facilities", I have vetoed the remainder of the line.

On page 363, I have vetoed all of line 1, and on line 2, I have vetoed through the word
"Act".

Respectfully yours,

Bill Richardson
Governor"

http://www.governor.state.nm.us/press/2005/april/040805_2.pdf