The Las Cruces City Council is reviewing which projects will be eligible for TIDD funding. Three funding options were presented to the council, detailing how three million dollars in TIDD revenue could be allocated.
A project to establish a business incubator facility was highlighted by many on the city council. The million-dollar investment would provide both retail and workspaces for entrepreneurs and small businesses, something Councilor Johana Bencomo says is desperately needed.
“I think it'd be a huge mistake to not invest in something like this incubator,” Bencomo said. “I think it's an outstanding idea. And as I think about our priorities as a city, and, you know, really trying to impact and reduce the wealth inequality in our city, this could be huge. This could be a huge player in that.”
While an advocate for the incubator, Councilor Bencomo spoke out against providing funding for shade structures in the downtown plaza. She stressed she is not against the installation itself, but thinks other projects are in greater need of funding.
“At the end of the day I feel like we live in the Southwest,” Bencomo said. “If you're going to plan to be outside, you should plan for it to be sunny and hot…It’s hard for me to conceptualize shade costing more than the business incubator given the impact that [the] business incubator can have on our community versus shade.”
Adding shade structures would cost the city between 1-1.5 million, depending on if solar panels are installed. Mayor Ken Miyagishima suggested the city look into outside funding in order to keep the solar element of the project.
“That way we don't have to pay for the solar, the third party does,” Miyagishima said. “They get the tax advantages and then we get, of course, reduced rates and then we don't have to add another half a million to the solar.”
Councilor Gabe Vasquez highlighted the benefits of having a renewable energy resource, indicating he would like to see community solar utilized in other areas of the city.
“The plaza shade structure I think is just a great project to help kick off what this community solar might look like, especially when a city is involved in a project like this,” Vasquez said. “Because we could duplicate that in other parts of the city, or other parts of the county, if we're successful with this project.”
Using TIDD funding for select renovations to the Amador Hotel property was another project popular among city council members.
Total renovations are estimated to cost at least 5 million, with the city proposing a phased in funding approach. Councilor Tessa Abeyta-Stuve says she feels a responsibility to ensure that current city projects and obligations are finished before new ideas are explored.
“The one thing that I don't like is having unfinished projects or responsibilities and this is one of those items that is, you know, our responsibility as a city but it's unfinished and looking at those next steps,” Abeyta-Stuve said.
The city council will review the entire Amador Hotel project during a work session in June. Mayor Miyagishima says the session will be an opportunity for the council to decide on the amount they are willing to dedicate to the renovation.
“I really think it's important that we know how much we're willing to spend, total on the Amador,” Miyagishima said. “Because first I used to hear council say, you know, a million tops, then maybe 2 million. And I think we just need to get an idea of what this is going to be.”
