A JOINT MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY 4, 2005 TO BE "COLONIAS DAY" AND REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR AND HIS CABINET TO ASSIST LOCAL EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN NEW MEXICO BY ADDING RURAL COMMUNITIES AND COLONIAS TO THE STATE'S PRIORITY ACTION LIST OF PROGRAMS FOR LEGISLATIVE FUNDING.

     WHEREAS, the board of directors of the New Mexico association of counties comprises the elected officials who are responsible for the health, welfare and safety of the residents of New Mexico's thirty-three counties, and these board members are asked to represent and address the needs of these residents; and

     WHEREAS, the administration of Governor Richardson is to be commended for targeting statewide improvements in education, water issues, infrastructure and economic development, and a natural extension of those initiatives would be the addition of infrastructure improvements for rural and colonias communities to the statewide priority action list; and

     WHEREAS, rural and colonias communities are sorely lacking in infrastructure, accessibility, opportunities and sanitation services, and by working together, the state and individual counties could lift these communities up and provide better futures for the children in the communities who will in turn raise their own families on family properties, thereby making meaningful progress toward enhancing the most basic of human needs in these challenged communities; and

     WHEREAS, residents of rural and colonias communities statewide face harsh challenges on a daily basis, but they are proud people who are reluctant to ask for help; and

     WHEREAS, individual counties continue to undertake independent and ambitious infrastructure improvement plans designed to enhance social and economic development opportunities for all residents of New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, by initiating a statewide improvement program for rural and colonias communities, the state could partner with the thirty-three counties to empower these small communities and dramatically improve the quality of life in them, while simultaneously creating new entrepreneurial zones that will complement existing projects in incorporated municipalities;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that February 4, 2005 be recognized as "Colonias Day" in the legislature; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Governor Richardson and his cabinet be requested to work with the board of directors of the New Mexico association of counties to assist local efforts to improve the quality of life in the state and to add improvements for rural communities and colonias to the state's priority action list of programs for legislative funding; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor and the board of directors of the New Mexico association of counties.