SENATE MEMORIAL 9

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2021

INTRODUCED BY

David M. Gallegos

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE DIRECTOR OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO RELATIVE TO EL PASO, TEXAS, AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

 

     WHEREAS, southeastern New Mexico and neighboring El Paso, Texas, and surrounding areas in New Mexico each have economic strengths and advantages; and

     WHEREAS, the economic development department points to New Mexico having a competitive advantage when it comes to energy, landscape, sheer space, geographic location, logistics, research and development and manufacturing; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is the eighth largest net energy supplier in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, the Permian basin, located in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico, is one of the most important areas for the production of crude oil in the country, and geologists estimate that the Permian basin may have reserves for another one hundred years; and

     WHEREAS, southeastern New Mexico hosts an incredible array of tourist destinations, including Carlsbad Caverns national park and White Sands national park; and

     WHEREAS, southeastern New Mexico is Billy the Kid's former stomping grounds, and the Billy the Kid museum in Fort Sumner brings the history of the wild west alive; and

     WHEREAS, the Roswell unidentified flying objects museum is a popular draw for visitors curious about the unknown and unexplained; and

     WHEREAS, El Paso is the largest metropolitan area along the Texas-Mexico border and boasts a business-friendly operating environment and one of the largest manufacturing centers in North America and is recognized as globally competitive; and

     WHEREAS, El Paso has expressed concerns that it has been neglected by Texas and has expressed some desire to no longer be a part of that state; and

     WHEREAS, counties in southeastern New Mexico, including Chaves, Curry, Eddy, Lea and Roosevelt, have expressed similar concerns that they have been neglected by New Mexico;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the director of the local government division of the department of finance and administration be requested to convene a task force to study the feasibility of New Mexico and Texas trading land by population or land mass; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force review the expressed concerns and determine if it is feasible to enter into discussions with Texas to see if there is some common desire to altering the boundaries between the states to address concerns of El Paso, Texas, and the southeastern New Mexico counties of Chaves, Curry, Eddy, Lea and Roosevelt; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of representatives of New Mexico counties, the New Mexico municipal league, the economic development department and the taxation and revenue department; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings and recommendations to the legislative finance committee and the revenue stabilization and tax policy committee by November 1, 2021; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the local government division of the department of finance and administration, the executive director of New Mexico counties, the executive director of the New Mexico municipal league, the director of the legislative finance committee, the secretary of economic development and the secretary of taxation and revenue.

- 4 -