YOU’RE WATCHING KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. TARGET 7 TOLD YOU HOW NEW MEXICO HAS SOME OF THE WORST ROADS IN THE COUNTRY. NOW THE STATE WANTS 1.5 BILLION TO HELP FIX THEM. BUT SOME SAY IT WON’T BE ENOUGH TO CATCH UP. HERE’S JASON MCNABB. THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO’S ROADS ARE NOT ONLY A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, THEY’RE ALSO COSTING YOU FOR PRICEY CAR REPAIRS. SOME LEGISLATORS SAY WE’RE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEHIND THE AMOUNT THAT’S GOING TO TAKE TO FIX ALL OF NEW MEXICO’S ROADS. WE’VE SHOWN YOU HOW ROUGH THE CONDITIONS OF NEW MEXICO’S ROADS ARE. IT’S NOT HARD FOR TRAVELERS TO NOTICE. EVERYTHING WAS PRETTY SMOOTH SAILING UNTIL WE CROSSED THE BORDER INTO NEW MEXICO. THEY WERE PRETTY BAD COMING IN HERE PRETTY DEEP. SOME HOLES THAT WOULD REALLY THROW THE CAR AROUND. NEW MEXICO CAME IN NUMBER ONE RIGHT BEHIND IT WAS MISSISSIPPI, RHODE ISLAND, HAWAII AND OKLAHOMA MAKE UP THE TOP FIVE. RESEARCH FROM CONSUMER AFFAIRS SHOWS AROUND A THIRD OF THE STATE’S ROADS ARE IN BAD SHAPE. THE RESEARCH ALSO SHOWS IT’S COSTING YOU TO DRIVE ON THEM. IN NEW MEXICO, THEY’LL SPEND JUST OVER $1,000 IN CAR REPAIRS DUE TO THE DETERIORATING ROAD CONDITIONS. BUT HOW DID IT GET THIS BAD? WE’RE WAY BEHIND AND THAT IS THE ANSWER. SENATOR ROBERTO GONZALEZ TOLD TARGET 7. NMDOT GETS ONLY A SMALL PART OF ITS BUDGET FROM ONE TIME FUND APPROPRIATIONS. THE MAJORITY COMES FROM CERTAIN TAXES, LIKE THE TAX YOU PAY EVERY TIME YOU FILL UP AT THE PUMP. BUT HE SAYS THE GAS TAX WAS REDUCED BY SEVERAL CENTS IN THE MID 90S, AND THE STATE HAS SIMPLY NEVER RECOVERED FROM THE LOSS OF REVENUE. AND WITH THE INCREASE OF HYBRIDS AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES, PEOPLE ARE BUYING LESS GAS. THAT REALLY HURT THE STATE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT’S MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT HAVE NOT COME IN TO THE STATE SINCE 1995. SENATOR GONZALEZ IS TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO HELP ADDRESS THE FUNDING SHORTFALL. THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. HE’S A SPONSOR OF SENATE BILL TWO, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE $1.5 BILLION IN FUNDING BONDS OVER A PERIOD OF AROUND 20 YEARS FOR NMDOT TO ADDRESS THE MOST DIRE ROADS. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION WOULD IDENTIFY PROJECTS AND AS THEY’RE IDENTIFIED IN THEIR PRIORITY LIST, THEN HAVING THE BONDING AVAILABLE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TO FUND THIS PROJECT FROM START TO FINISH. THE BONDS WOULD BE PAID FOR BY AN INCREASE TO COMMERCIAL VEHICLE TAXES, A 25% INCREASE IN VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEES, AND A $125 SURCHARGE ON EVS AND HYBRIDS. HOWEVER, GONZALEZ SAYS THE 1.5 BILLION, WHICH EQUATES TO AROUND 70 MILLION A YEAR, IS JUST A SMALL START. NO, IT WILL NOT BE ENOUGH. YOU KNOW, THE THE NEED FOR THE STATE. IS THAT RIGHT? ABOUT 7 BILLION. BUT IT WOULD BE A BEGINNING. PAUL GUESSING OF THE TAXPAYER WATCH GROUP RIO GRANDE FOUNDATION SAYS THIS PLAN IS BETTER THAN INCREASING THE GAS TAX ONCE AGAIN. THIS IS AGAIN A CORE GOVERNMENT ROLE TO MAKE INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMERCE WORK, TO MAKE TRAVEL SAFE ACROSS OUR STATE. THESE ARE THINGS THAT UNLOCK OUR ECONOMIC POTENTIAL AS A STATE. THE 1.5 BILLION IN BONDS PASSED BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE IS NOW HEADED TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK FOR TARGET 7. I’M JASON MCNABB. IF YOU HAVE A TIP FOR US TO INVESTIGAT
New Mexico seeks $1.5 billion to improve road conditions
New Mexico legislators are proposing $1.5 billion in funding to address the state’s deteriorating roads, but some argue it won’t be enough to meet the $7 billion needed for repairs.
New Mexico is pursuing $1.5 billion in funding to address its deteriorating roads, which have been ranked among the worst in the country, with legislators acknowledging the state is behind by billions of dollars in road repair needs.The condition of New Mexico’s roads is a significant safety issue and is costing drivers in the state over $1,000 in car repairs due to poor road conditions, according to research from Consumer Affairs. Travelers have noticed the rough conditions, with one saying, “Everything was pretty smooth sailing until we crossed the border into New Mexico,” and another adding, “They were pretty bad coming in here, pretty deep. Some holes that would really throw the car around.”Research from Consumer Affairs shows that around a third of the state’s roads are in bad shape, and it’s costing drivers to navigate them. In New Mexico, drivers spend just over $1,000 in car repairs due to deteriorating road conditions.Sen. Roberto Gonzalez explained that the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) receives only a small portion of its budget from one-time fund appropriations, with the majority coming from certain taxes, including the gas tax. However, the gas tax was reduced in the mid-90s, and the state has not recovered from the loss of revenue, especially with the increase in hybrid and electric vehicles, leading to less gas being purchased. “That really hurt the state because that’s millions and millions of dollars that have not come in to the state since 1995,” Gonzalez said.Gonzalez is sponsoring Senate Bill 2, which would provide $1.5 billion in funding bonds over 20 years for NMDOT to address the most urgent road repairs. “The NMDOT Commission would identify projects, and as they’re identified in their priority list, then having the bonding available, we would be able to fund these projects from start to finish,” Gonzalez said. The bonds would be paid for by an increase in commercial vehicle taxes, a 25% increase in car registration fees, and a $125 surcharge for electric vehicles and hybrids.However, Gonzalez acknowledged that the $1.5 billion, equating to around $70 million a year, is just a small start. “It will not be enough. The need for the state is right about $7 billion, but it would be a beginning,” he said.Paul Gessing of the taxpayer watchgroup Rio Grande Foundation supports the plan, saying, “This is, again, a core government role to make infrastructure and commerce. To make travel safe across our state. These are things that unlock our economic potential as a state.”The $1.5 billion bonds have passed both the Senate and the House and are now heading to the governor’s desk. A similar bill was proposed last year but ultimately failed.
New Mexico is pursuing $1.5 billion in funding to address its deteriorating roads, which have been ranked among the worst in the country, with legislators acknowledging the state is behind by billions of dollars in road repair needs.
The condition of New Mexico’s roads is a significant safety issue and is costing drivers in the state over $1,000 in car repairs due to poor road conditions, according to research from Consumer Affairs. Travelers have noticed the rough conditions, with one saying, “Everything was pretty smooth sailing until we crossed the border into New Mexico,” and another adding, “They were pretty bad coming in here, pretty deep. Some holes that would really throw the car around.”
Research from Consumer Affairs shows that around a third of the state’s roads are in bad shape, and it’s costing drivers to navigate them. In New Mexico, drivers spend just over $1,000 in car repairs due to deteriorating road conditions.
Sen. Roberto Gonzalez explained that the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) receives only a small portion of its budget from one-time fund appropriations, with the majority coming from certain taxes, including the gas tax. However, the gas tax was reduced in the mid-90s, and the state has not recovered from the loss of revenue, especially with the increase in hybrid and electric vehicles, leading to less gas being purchased. “That really hurt the state because that’s millions and millions of dollars that have not come in to the state since 1995,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez is sponsoring Senate Bill 2, which would provide $1.5 billion in funding bonds over 20 years for NMDOT to address the most urgent road repairs. “The NMDOT Commission would identify projects, and as they’re identified in their priority list, then having the bonding available, we would be able to fund these projects from start to finish,” Gonzalez said. The bonds would be paid for by an increase in commercial vehicle taxes, a 25% increase in car registration fees, and a $125 surcharge for electric vehicles and hybrids.
However, Gonzalez acknowledged that the $1.5 billion, equating to around $70 million a year, is just a small start. “It will not be enough. The need for the state is right about $7 billion, but it would be a beginning,” he said.
Paul Gessing of the taxpayer watchgroup Rio Grande Foundation supports the plan, saying, “This is, again, a core government role to make infrastructure and commerce. To make travel safe across our state. These are things that unlock our economic potential as a state.”
The $1.5 billion bonds have passed both the Senate and the House and are now heading to the governor’s desk. A similar bill was proposed last year but ultimately failed.
