The Las Cruces City Council had lengthy discussions during a Monday, Oct. 26, 2020 work session about the City of Las Cruces’ legislative priorities for the 2021 New Mexico legislative session.
The Council’s discussion during Monday’s work session focused on possible capital outlay projects that could be submitted to the Legislature for its consideration. A proposed project list with estimated costs, presented to the Council by Grants Administrator Amy Bassford Johnson and City-hired, State Lobbyist Larry Horan, included:
Septic system replacement, $3.8 million
East Mesa roads and drainage improvements, $1.25 million
Madrid Road extension, $400,000
Police mobile data terminal replacement, $120,000
Fire Station No. 1 improvements, $350,000
Public safety communications upgrades, $844,000
Branigan Cultural Center improvements, $1.5 million
Youth Services buildings improvements, $585,000
Airport terminal building expansion, $500,000.
The New Mexico Legislature will meet for a 60-day session from Jan. 19, 2021 to March 20, 2021.
Horan told City Council it has not yet been determined if or how capital outlay funding will be allotted by the Legislature during the upcoming session. He suggested the Council identify and prioritize its true infrastructure projects and to keep that list of projects short, at three to five projects.
Prior to the work session, the Council, serving as Tax Increment Development District Board of Commissioners, met via video conference for a TIDD Board Meeting. Future TIDD priorities for potential projects was the main topic of the board’s discussion.
The list of future TIDD priority projects presented to the Board included the redesigns of Church and Water streets; the possible addition of shade structures at Plaza de Las Cruces; the proposed installation of additional security cameras downtown; and the implementation of a business incubator program with the establishment of retail business space at 135 E. Griggs Avenue, north of Las Cruces Municipal Court.