Although local governments largely left the Roundhouse empty-handed this year, the state could pour over $2 million into its own infrastructure in Rio Arriba County.
If Gov. Bill Richardson signs House Bill 154, $1 million will go to the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad for track rehabilitation. Another $950,000 would build a new outpost for the state Highway Department’s maintenance staff and equipment in Tierra Amarilla.
And nearly $300,000 would fund renovations, new vans or both for County-run senior centers in Española and Tierra Amarilla and the Santa Clara Pueblo senior center.
“The state has a $15 billion gap in infrastructure needs,” Legislative Finance Committee Capital Outlay Coordinator Linda Kehoe said. “We have quite a backlog of deficiencies.”
In more prosperous years, there has been enough money to throw at both state and local projects, however piecemeal that process may have been. But when lawmakers heard there would be about $150 million available for all capital projects — a mere fraction of past years’ kitty — they agreed to forego local projects in their districts and concentrate on a list of improvements to state-owned assets.
Richardson retained his executive privileges and cornered about $30 million of the fund for economic-development projects.
Rio Arriba County Manager Lorenzo Valdez said having reduced resources delays projects and forces the County to reprioritize, but they weren’t expecting to get much money this year.
“We’re playing it like Mother Theresa,” Valdez said. “If you don’t expect a whole lot, you’re not disappointed when you don’t get it.”
Even though governments knew there was no money this year, they still had trouble whittling down their wish lists.
The County’s request list consisted of its overall infrastructure-improvement plan, which lists 85 different projects.
County Commission Chairman Elias Coriz said the County is mainly focused on developing infrastructure for the Alcalde property transferred from the federal government and slated to hold a recreation center and business park. The County put all its eggs in that basket and is still hoping for federal stimulus dollars, he said.
The city’s request list was 10 items long, and had pool renovations and a new library near the top.
Española Acting City Manager Veronica Albin said the city narrowed its focus to renewing old capital-outlay awards rather than requesting new funding.
Valdez said the state has an obligation to fund maintenance of the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad.
“We see it there, like we see a lot of other funding,” Valdez said. “And we think it probably brings gross receipts and economic activity to Chama.”
$1.3 Billion Unspent
Kehoe said she never thought she’d be glad to see a money shortage, but it has helped implement the kind of systematic allocation of capital outlay that she’s been advocating for years.
“We are the only state in the entire United States that handles capital outlay the way we do,” Kehoe said.
Normally, the state legislature takes a pot of money and allocates a portion for statewide projects and divides the rest between the governor’s office and legislators. For example last year, senators received $1.1 million and House members received $800,000 to distribute within their districts.
Kehoe said she’s not opposed to funding local projects through capital outlay, but the current system leaves many projects unfinished. There might be enough money allocated to design a building but not actually build it, for example.
There is roughly $1.3 billion in unspent money that has been allocated to local governments and is sitting in state coffers, Kehoe said.
The state projects that made this year’s list are the result of extensive site visits by Kehoe’s staff, to determine which projects are both urgent and feasible within a reasonable timeframe, she said.