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Amid the brouhaha of mayoral debates on water wars and higher education, Albuquerque’s city elections on Tuesday will cover more than who’s going to sit on the city’s 11th floor office. The Daily Lobo spoke to the city of Albuquerque’s Capital Implementation Program official Barbara Taylor to find out what else would be on Tuesday’s ballot.
There will be ten different general obligation bonds on the ballot, Taylor said. The funds for bonds will come from Albuquerque’s general income and are backed by property taxes, she said.
Taylor said decisions regarding the bonds would be very important for the upkeep of city facilities and structures.
“Bonds are critical to the city of Albuquerque,” she said “They are the way that the core city is maintained and the way we grow in Albuquerque. This regular infusion of money allows us to keep our city well maintained.”
Voters decide where to allocate the bonds, from parks and recreation facilities to libraries around the city, including the areas around UNM, Taylor said. Once passed, the bonds will take effect in the first quarter of 2014 and will provide funds for the next 10 years.
Taylor said Albuquerque voters typically pass all of the bonds and she is optimistic about this year’s bond cycle.
Here is Taylor’s brief overview of the bonds on the ballot:
-The General Obligation Public Safety Bonds would provide funding for the upkeep and development of the city’s police and fire department facilities. The bond amounts to $11.5 million in general obligation bonds.
-The General Obligation Senior, Family, Community Center and Community Enhancement Project Bonds would be used for the improvement of community centers and for Metropolitan Redevelopment Area projects for city-owned serving citizens of all ages. This would include renovations to stadiums and city corridors, The bond amounts to $10.4 million in general obligation bonds.
-The General Obligation Parks and Recreation Bonds would fund improvements to and the construction of public parks and other recreational facilities in the city, including open spaces, medians, bikeways, bosque lands and trails. The bond amounts to $12.5 million in general obligation bonds.
-The General Obligation Energy and Water Conservation, Public Facilities and System Modernization Bonds would be used to enhance public buildings, facilities and infrastructure of Albuquerque and make them more efficient with regard to water and energy use. The bond amounts to $12.8 million in general obligation bonds.
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-The General Obligation Library Bonds would seek to modernize and improve city libraries and would also work to add more resources into facilities. The bond amounts to $5.8 million in general obligation bonds.
-The General Obligation Street Bonds would be used to improve municipal roads, interstate roadways and bridges around the city. The bond amounts to $39 million in general obligation bonds.
-The General Obligation Public Transportation Bonds would fund the research and development of public transportation facilities. The bond amounts to $5.5 million in general obligation bonds.
-The General Obligation Storm Sewer System Bonds would be used to reconstruct, monitor and enhance the city’s sewer system. The bond amounts to $10.1 million in general obligation bonds.
-The General Obligation Zoo, Biological Park, Museum and Cultural Facility Bonds would improve city-owned museums and cultural facilities, including the city’s zoo, aquarium, Tingley Beach and botanical garden. The bond amounts to $5.1 million in general obligation bonds.
The General Obligation Affordable Housing Bonds would provide funding for the construction and rehabilitation of high-quality, affordable housing for low to moderate-working class families and for senior citizens in accordance to the city’s Workforce Housing Act. The bond amounts to $2.5 million in general obligation bonds.
