New Mexico voters approve general obligation bonds, mill levy and constitutional amendment

Voters in New Mexico gave higher education in the state a funding boost for brick-and-mortar projects with the decisive approval of GO Bond 3 in Tuesday's general election.

GO Bond 3, a statewide $230 million bond, will fund more than 40 projects at New Mexico's colleges, universities, and specialty schools. According to unofficial results, the bond passed with 66 percent of the vote.

Additionally, the passage of GO Bond 3 will create more than 2,300 new jobs in architecture, construction, education, and related fields and contribute to the economies of 29 cities in 23 counties across New Mexico. The economic impact of GO Bond 3 is estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars, affecting businesses large and small in every corner of the state.

At The University of New Mexico, GO Bond C will provide over $94.5 million for six projects, including $52 million for a new Humanities & Social Sciences building and $35 million for a renovation of the College of Pharmacy building. Additional UNM branch campus projects include $4 million for UNM-Gallup and the renovation of Gurley Hall, $1.5 million for UNM-Taos and its Science and Space Education facility, $1 million for UNM-Los Alamos to plan, construct, renovate, and equip campus facilities and infrastructure and $1 million for UNM-Valencia for Phase I its Nursing and Health Sciences redesign.

"The approval of these general obligation bonds will have a transformative effect on our institution and on our state. From a new Humanities and Social Sciences complex and upgrades to our College of Pharmacy, to improvements at our branch campuses, these new investments ensure that UNM remains at the forefront of academic excellence and innovation," said UNM President Garnett S. Stokes. "We are grateful to the voters of our state for their overwhelming support for, and trust in, The University of New Mexico."

"As pharmacists continue to play a critical and growing role in primary health care across New Mexico, it's more important than ever that we give our pharmacy students the best educational opportunities," said Donald Godwin, dean of the UNM College of Pharmacy. "With the funds from this bond, we'll be able to transform research and classroom spaces to provide the kind of education and training needed for a 21st-century pharmacy practice."

Library Bond
Similar to the GO Bond, this year's Capital Projects GO Bond Act passed overwhelmingly at 67 percent. It will provide approximately $19 million for public libraries throughout the state, including $6 million for higher education libraries, academic, public school, and public library resource acquisitions, $6 million for the Cultural Affairs Department (non-tribal public libraries), $6 million for the Public Education Department, and $1 million for tribal libraries in New Mexico.

GO Bond 2 affects library users at UNM in various ways, including University Libraries, the School of Law Library, the College of Nursing, and health professionals throughout the entire UNM Health System. On UNM's main campus, GO Bonds have provided access to essential resources at University Libraries for the entire campus and have also been used for technology to support library resource use.

UNM Hospital Mill Levy
With a solid margin, Bernalillo County voters passed the continuance of a mill levy to support maintenance and operations at UNM Hospital. Making up about 10% of the hospital's revenue, funds from the mill levy assist with paying for extra costs associated with being New Mexico's largest teaching hospital, only Level-I Trauma Center, and only dedicated children's hospital. Open 24/7/365, operating and maintaining the facility takes effort across all kinds of services, such as providing food services to patients, keeping patient records and other software applications secure and up to date, maintaining cybersecurity, providing security to keep staff and patients safe, and providing 24/7 interpreter services in more than 200 languages.

"We are so grateful to the voters in Bernalillo County who continue to put their trust and investment in UNM Hospital," said Kate Becker, UNM Hospital CEO. "Support for our hospital is a direct investment into the health and well-being of our community. With the community's support, we can push our mission forward to expand access to medical and behavioral health care in Bernalillo County and beyond."

Constitutional Amendment 3
Constitutional Amendment 3 also passed allowing the amendment of Article 6, Section 35 of the Constitution of New Mexico. The amendment allows the dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law to appoint a designee to the Judicial Nominating Commission, which would streamline the judicial nomination process in New Mexico.

"This change significantly enhances our ability to contribute effectively to the judicial selection process while managing the diverse responsibilities of leading the state's only law school," said UNM School of Law Dean Camille Carey.

For complete statewide election results, visit Secretary of State.