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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Cisneros

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/06/2007

HB

SHORT TITLE Statewide Arts Trails Project

SB 646

ANALYST Dearing

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$250.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 646 appropriates $250 thousand from the general fund to department of Cultural

Affairs to expand the Arts-based Trails project statewide.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $250 thousand contained in Senate Bill 646 is a recurring expense to the

General Fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 shall

revert to the General Fund.

Laws, 2006, Chapter 109, section (5) contained a special appropriation of $250 thousand for

Arts-based trails. The executive FY08 recommendation included $250 thousand for the program

as well.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The arts-based trails program is an expansion of a program funded in 2006 with a $250 thousand

special appropriation from the Legislature. New Mexico Arts has been gathering information on

location, product and facilities accommodation and sales capacity for applying regional artists

Senate Bill 646– Page

2

working in the fiber media (weaving, beadwork, collage, etc.). The accepted artists’ sales venue

locations will be incorporated on a “route-map" including addresses and other information for

directing tourists and locals towards locally-made arts products. The program provides an

opportunity to expand economic conditions in rural areas of New Mexico, at the lowest, grass-

roots level.

When completed, the arts-trails program is intended to incorporate economic development for

rural communities and program development is now targeted at rural New Mexico communities.

The New Mexico Arts program set a deadline for accepting applications on September 1

st

2006

for site inclusion on the trail map. The division is currently developing the map, and has stated

that a preliminary route map will be available in spring, 2007.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

New Mexico Arts program currently has performance measures tracking outreach and

educational attendance. As foot-traffic to arts-based sites will be on privately owned retail

operations, it is not known how the division will measure the program’s effectiveness. A point-

of-sale revenue tracking measure for participating artists and art-dealers is a recommended item

for consideration when the program becomes operational.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

Expansion of the program would increase workload at the division. Staff is responsible for

vetting prospective applicants through site-visits to ensure their retail sites have specified

capacity, consistent hours, signage, and overall safe and accessible locations. New Mexico Arts

division of Cultural Affairs department shall ensure distribution of arts-based trail maps with

assistance from the Economic Development Department and the Tourism Department.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

Other regional art trail programs are being developed to stimulate economic development and

arts appreciation.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The arts-based trails program will funding levels from a non-recurring appropriation in Laws,

2006, Chapter 109, section (5).

PD/csd