BOND ISSUES
Bond Issues – Three Questions on Your November Ballot
What Are Bond Issues?
How Bonds Work in New Mexico:
-
General obligation bonds (aka “GO bonds”) are long term loans the state takes out to pay for capital projects
-
They are repaid using a statewide property tax (not income or sales tax)
-
New Mexico voters vote yes/no on each bond question separately
-
Between 2006 and 2024, New Mexico voters approved 97.1% of all bond questions placed before them
.png)
Higher Education Improvements Bond Issue
This is the largest of the three bond questions. The focus is investing in public colleges, universities, and tribal schools. If approved, $230 million would go to capital projects – things like building new classrooms, upgrading labs, repairing aging infrastructure, modernizing equipment, and improving campus facilities. It is not for general operating expenses or salaries.
What a YES vote does: Authorizes the state to issue up to $230 million in general obligation bonds to fund construction, renovation, and equipment purchases at public colleges, universities, special schools, and tribal schools across New Mexico.
What a NO vote does: Prevents the state from issuing these bonds for higher education capital improvements.
Library Acquisition Bond Issue
This is the smallest of the three bonds in terms of dollars, but would impact most of the state in some way. If approved, $20 million would go toward buying materials – things like new books, e-books, audiobooks, research databases, and other learning resources that flow to libraries in towns, pueblos, villages, and cities across New Mexico.
What a YES vote does: Authorizes the state to issue up to $20 million in general obligation bonds to acquire books, digital resources, and other materials for public libraries, public school libraries, academic libraries, and tribal libraries across the state.
What a NO vote does: Prevents the state from issuing these bonds for library acquisitions.
Senior Citizen Facilities Bond Issue
New Mexico's network of senior centers provide meals, social activities, health screenings, classes, and a gathering place for community members. If approved, $30 million would go toward building new centers, repairing aging ones, and purchasing equipment (such as commercial kitchen equipment, accessibility upgrades, vehicles for meal delivery, and technology).
What a YES vote does: Authorizes the state to issue $30 million in general obligation bonds for the improvement, construction, and equipping of senior centers across New Mexico. The funding would be distributed through the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department.
What a NO vote does: Prevents the state from issuing these bonds for senior facilities.
What You
Can Do
✅ Read the full text of each bond issue on your sample ballot
✅ Share this information with family and friends
✅ Talk about what these changes mean for your community