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Council approves TIF baselines for six MRAs and confirms a slate of board appointments
Summary
Las Cruces City Council on March 16 set baselines for six tax-increment financing (TIF) metropolitan redevelopment areas and approved related resolutions, then confirmed multiple airport and transit board appointments in unanimous roll-call votes.
Las Cruces City Council voted unanimously March 16 to establish monthly baselines and begin the process to capture tax-increment funding for six metropolitan redevelopment areas (MRAs), and later approved a series of board appointments.
Blair Flores, who presented on behalf of the city’s Economic Development Department, told the council the TIF approach would capture growth above an agreed baseline and dedicate up to 75% of that increment for up to 20 years to redevelopment within each MRA. Flores said the El Paseo/Solano baseline was set at $41,882.02 per month and the West Picacho/Motel Boulevard baseline at $24,480.28 per month. For MRAs without adopted plans, the city recommended baselines of $19,528.46 (Apodaca & Liftup), $41,650.38 (East of Solano), $5,334.19 (Mesquite) and $18,056.42 (Amador/Proximo/South).
Councilors asked how Tax and Rev computed the monthly averages and whether setting baselines now disadvantages the city later. Flores and Economic Development Director Elizabeth Teeters said Tax and Rev removed one-time spikes and holiday anomalies to produce steady monthly averages and that setting a baseline before new development can benefit the city by capturing early growth.
Councilors then voted individually to approve resolutions 26-114 through 26-119 to set the baselines and create internal funds for each MRA. Roll-call votes recorded Councilor McClure, Councilor Matisse, Councilor Harris, Councilor Bencomo, Councilor Koran, Councilor Munoz and Mayor Eric Enriquez voting “Yes” on each resolution.
After the TIF votes, the council approved a slate of board appointments and reappointments. Motions carried unanimously to appoint Michael Masucci, David Moffitt and Paul Nielsen to the Airport Board and to reappoint Wesley Baker to that board. The council also approved reappointments to the Transit Board (Kelly Brooks and Michelle Carbajal) and confirmed a library-board reappointment (Jessica Streeter).
The council heard notice of two proposed ordinances — one amending the procurement code and another authorizing the issuance of gross-receipt-tax–backed improvement revenue bonds — and discussed next steps for the TIF process, including submission of baselines and plans to the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department.
What’s next: The city will submit the adopted baselines to Tax and Rev and continue the MRA/TIF planning process; staff said the 20-year collection period does not begin until a plan and resolution are submitted to the state.
