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As early voting begins, Santa Fe County wants to educate residents about three important general obligation bond questions that will appear on the November 5, 2024, general election ballot. If approved by voters, these general obligation bonds would provide needed funding for critical and backbone infrastructure with a negligible impact on property taxes. 

“Elections matter for many reasons,” County Manager Gregory S. Shaffer said.  “Not least of all because voters get to decide whether to invest in our community through general obligation bonds.”   

The County’s three general obligation bond questions are as follows:  

1. Shall Santa Fe County issue up to $4,900,000 in general obligation bonds payable from general (ad valorem) taxes to acquire, construct, design, equip, and improve roads within the County?  

2. Shall Santa Fe County issue up to $12,500,000 in general obligation bonds payable from general (ad valorem) taxes to acquire real property and necessary water rights for, and to construct, design, equip, rehabilitate, and improve water and wastewater projects within the County?  

3. Shall Santa Fe County issue up to $16,125,000 in general obligation bonds payable from general (ad valorem) taxes to acquire, design, construct, improve, equip, and restore open space, trails, and parks within the County? 

If approved, the general obligations bonds will have a negligible effect on property taxes. “The County structures its general obligations bonds to maintain materially stable property tax rates,” Shaffer explained.  “From 2017 to 2023, the County’s general obligation bond debt rate has ranged from 2.123 to 2.129 mills.”

Poperty Tax Year	County Debt Service Rate in Mills
2023	2.129
2022	2.124
2021	2.124
2020	2.124
2019	2.124
2018	2.123
2017	2.123

If approved by the voters, the general obligation bonds are anticipated to fund various critical infrastructure and community enhancement projects, as follows:

County Road Projects

CR 51 Ojo de la Vaca Low Water Crossing - Install box culverts at low water crossing for citizen and motorist safety. 

CR 109 N Drainage and Surface Improvements - Design and construct road, drainage and address safety issues on deteriorating roadway. 

Water and Wastewater Projects 

County Water Reclamation Facility Expansion – Increase the flow to, treatment capacity of, and/or ability to reuse treated effluent at Santa Fe County’s Water Reclamation Facility located at the State Penitentiary off of NM 14. These improvements will support affordable housing and other planned growth in the County’s designated growth area. 

Chupadero Water Line Replacement & Fire Hydrant Installation – To replace old water lines under Camino Chupadero before the road is reconstructed, while adding fire suppression, and other underground utilities. 

Open Space and Trails 

Santa Fe River Greenway Trail, Segment 4 (Caja del Oro to Cottonwood Dr.) –Design and acquire real property for next segment of the Santa Fe River Greenway Trail. 

Santa Fe Rail Trail, Segment 7 (NM 285 toward Lamy) – Design and construct trail under NM Highway 285 from Segment 6 Trailhead on West side of 285 toward the town of Lamy. 

Romero Park, Phase 3 – Design and construction a multi-sport field with lighting and additional pickle ball courts. 

Rio en Medio Open Space Restoration and Flood Prevention – Severely damaged by multiple flooding events in the summer of 2022, the 121.3 acres of open space requires significant restoration. Project restore the floodplain in the Rio en Medio Open Space area to remediate the flood damage and mitigate the impact of any future potential flooding events to downstream communities. 

For more information on the general election and the bond questions, visit the Santa Fe County Clerk's webpage.