The Las Cruces City Council will meet via video conference at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021.
The Council will consider adoption of a Resolution urging the New Mexico Legislature to establish a state public bank, owned by and for New Mexico residents. The 2021 Legislature convenes at noon Tuesday, January 19 for a 60-day session.
A state public bank would keep funds local by depositing them in a public bank rather than with a traditional commercial bank that is driven by mandates to maximize shareholder profits. A state bank can use deposited funds to finance loans for activities such as infrastructure development, business loans, economic development projects, and other endeavors deemed worthy of investment. A state public bank can provide financing for projects that would have lacked financing options if left to the mechanisms of traditional commercial banking.
Widespread support for establishing state public banks has been increasing across the U.S. in recent years.
The Council will also consider a Resolution urging the Legislature to increase disbursements from New Mexico’s Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF) for early childhood education services.
Studies of early childhood education and care show that high-quality programs lead to increased academic achievement, higher lifetime earnings, and beneficial long-term social outcomes for children and their communities. New Mexico has consistently ranked among the lowest states in the U.S. for early childhood education, and education, in general, for many years.
However, the state’s LGPF could help decrease barriers of access by increasing opportunities in early childhood education. The LGPF was established to help pay for public education, hospitals, and correctional institutions in New Mexico.
The fund grows annually when income generated from mineral production royalties and income earned on the investment of the fund’s money exceed disbursements made to beneficiaries. New Mexico’s Constitution governs what percentage of the fund is distributed to beneficiaries each year, with a current annual distribution of 5 percent.
Since 2013, numerous proposals have been brought before the Legislature to increase disbursements made from the LGPF for early childhood education in New Mexico. Requiring an amendment to the state constitution, such proposals have failed to pass both chambers of the legislature each time they have been made.
In 2020, House Bill 83 was passed and created the Early Childhood Education and Care Fund with a one-time appropriation from the general fund of $300 million.
The Resolution endorses the City’s support for increasing disbursements made from the LGPF for early childhood education and care in New Mexico. The City also urges the Legislature to take appropriate actions that enable such an increase to be brought about so that more money is available to increase early childhood education opportunities and outcomes that will provide beneficial long-term impacts for all New Mexicans.
Also on the agenda are the following items:
A Resolution supporting the passage of legislation that could legalize and regulate cannabis and cannabis-related products for recreational use.
A Resolution to approve a lease agreement between the City and La Clinica de Familia for a behavioral health facility to facilitate to serve the community’s indigent population.
A Resolution approving the Las Cruces International Airport Landscape Master Plan.
An Ordinance repealing and replacing Division 17 – Building Standards, of Chapter 30, Buildings and Building Regulations of the Las Cruces Municipal Code, to adopt the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, as amended and adopted by the New Mexico Construction Industries Division.
The full agenda for Monday’s City Council meeting is available online by clicking here.
The meeting will be televised live on CLC-TV, Comcast Cable channel 20 and will also be available online at clctv.com and at YouTube.com/clctv20.
Also, the Las Cruces City Council will meet on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021 for a Strategic Plan Workshop. The Special Work Session begins at 8 a.m. and could last until approximately 3 p.m.
The work session will focus on City government’s strategic plan and is scheduled to be streamed at YouTube.com/clctv20.