Bernalillo County has announced that its Board of Commissioners will prioritize six key items for review during the upcoming legislative session. This move signifies the county's strategic focus on legislative matters.
The county's legislative priorities cover a wide range of sectors, including substantial allocations for housing initiatives, behavioral health programs, Fentanyl education funding, and redirecting Liquor Excise Tax towards addiction treatment initiatives. Bernalillo County also prioritizes Medicaid support and the upkeep of a crucial multi-mission helicopter for emergencies, proposing a budget of $750,000 in recurring funds, according to a press release by Bernalillo County.
Commission Chair Barbara Baca identified the most pressing issues facing their community as "lack of affordable housing, homelessness and behavioral health," according to the same press release. She emphasized that "the majority of our priorities offer immediate assistance in these areas."
Baca elaborated on their joint effort with the City of Albuquerque through the MRGHC (Middle Rio Grande Housing Consortium) to establish public-private partnerships providing affordable housing via developers with access to tax exemptions. She stated: "The county and the city have a long history of working in this area and can oversee projects quickly and efficiently. We strongly support NMMFA’s request for $250 million in new housing trust funds as well as the Governor’s proposal of $250 million to the New Mexico Finance Authority Opportunity Enterprise Revolving Fund for collaborative housing projects. The MRGHC is also requesting a ten percent set-aside for local governments statewide on the $500 million NMMFA/DFA money which would translate to $50 million."
The duties of the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners include serving as the county canvassing board, board of finance, and zoning board. They hold final authority over the county budget, confirm property tax rates, issue general obligation bonds, determine appropriations, pass ordinances, make appointments, and establish zoning and business regulations. This information was obtained from the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners webpage provided by Bernalillo County.
