Saturday, August 9, 2008

Emergency service tax election takes step toward ballot

Julia M. Dendinger News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jdendinger@news-bulletin.com

The Valencia County Commission on Wednesday authorized publication of an ordinance authorizing a countywide one-quarter of 1 percent (.25 percent) emergency communications, emergency medical and behavioral services tax.

However, that vote came with a caveat. The commissioners would like to stipulate in the ordinance the percentages of the gross receipts allocated to the three services.

Commissioner Ron Gentry was the one who brought up that question. County attorney David Pato said he didn't believe the commission could alter the model ordinance provided by the State Taxation and Revenue Department.

"This is Taxation and Revenue's ordinance, and they want it passed in this form," Pato said. "You could pass a resolution spelling out and clarifying the percentages."

In paragraph four of the Taxation and Revenue information packet concerning county gross receipts tax programs, it says that failure to adopt the ordinance using the model ordinance will invalidate any ordinance adopted to impose a countywide gross receipts tax option.

"If we put this out there and it fails, it is never going to pass again," Gentry said. "I know the school districts spell out how money will be appropriated on bond issues. I don't want to put this in a form that won't pass in November. We need to let the public know exactly where the money is going."

He went on to propose that 60 percent of the estimated $2 million in revenues go to the dispatch center and the remaining 40 percent be allotted to emergency medical services. Gentry said he felt those were the top two funding priorities and that he was comfortable leaving out behavioral health because of other grants and funding sources available.

Bosque Farms Mayor Wayne Ake was at the meeting in support of the tax measure and agreed with Gentry. "If you tell people what you are going to do and you do it, they will support you," he said. "If you lie to them or change your mind, they will never trust you again."

Ake, along with the mayors of the other three municipalities in the county, were at the meeting so confirm their councils' support of the ordinance and subsequent revenue stream.

Gentry asked that the ordinance be published as it was written by Tax and Revenue with the stipulation that the county's legal counsel speak with the department and ask permission to add the specific percentages.

"I know we are on a tight timeline to get this on the November ballot," Gentry said. "If they let us add the percentages, then great. If not, then we can pass a resolution. Either way, we've started the process and will be able to hold a public hearing for input."

The commissioner's motion passed on a 4-1 vote, with commission chair Pedro Rael casting the sole dissenting vote. During the discussion of the gross receipts tax measure, Rael expressed support for the matter but said he had concerns about approving the publication of the ordinance with Gentry's stipulation.

"I don't want us to have to publish it twice if we add those percentages later," he said. "I'm concerned about behavioral health not being in there, and I'm not sure about the 60/40 split."

As of press time, the county attorney was still waiting for determination from Taxation and Revenue as to whether the commission could add the specific percentages to the ordinance.

Once the ordinance has been published for 15 days, the commission can hold a public hearing to get input from county residents. After gathering public input, it is up to the commission to either adopt the ordinance or not. In order to be put on the November ballot and go to the voters of the county, the ordinance has to be approved 15 days before Sept. 30.

Shirley Valdez, the director of the Valencia County Regional Emergency Communications Center, asked the county commission to consider passing an ordinance for the tax during a commission meeting in July.

The commission asked her to gather written resolutions of support from the four municipalities in the county - Belen, Bosque Farms, Los Lunas and Peralta.

Valdez did that and returned to the commissioners with resolutions and mayors in tow. In a brief slide presentation to the commission, she showed photographs of the dispatch center and specifically one of the dispatcher's consoles.

"There are five screens, three PCs, a printer and two phones that are going 24/7," she said. "One of our biggest operational costs is replacing this equipment."

While the tax is estimated to generate $2 million in new revenue, Valdez pointed out that all of that money does not come to the dispatch center. "It is up to you to determine what portion comes to the center, what goes to emergency medical services and how much goes to behavioral health," she said.

The ultimate goal of the tax is to supplement and alleviate some of the fiscal burden on the county and the municipalities in supporting these services, Valdez said.

"We will still need some kind of support from all of you, but it won't be as much," she said. According to figures supplied by Valdez, the county has budgeted $364,614 for the 2008-09 fiscal year for the dispatch center.

The Village of Los Lunas has budgeted $365,128, the City of Belen has set aside $252,014 and the Village of Bosque Farms will give $45,615. The Town of Peralta's share is being paid to Bosque Farms since the village is providing law enforcement service to the new town.

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