Las Cruces City Council passed new increases for Public Safety Impact Fees by a vote of 6 to 1.
Public Safety Impact Fees are used to pay for new infrastructure for police and fire in Las Cruces.
“That means buildings,” Las Cruces Fire Chief Travis Brown said. “Land, or equipment with the value of $10,000 or more and a 10 year life expectancy, such as fire trucks, command vehicles for the police department, new fire stations, new police stations.”
That was Las Cruces Fire Chief Travis Brown, he says the impact fees are placed on new developments in the city to help pay for the need for expanded coverage.
“As we continue to grow,” Brown said. “There is a larger demand on both police and fire services, so impact fee is a way for some of that new development to pay a portion of those costs. It doesn’t pay for additional personnel. It doesn’t pay for a lot of the less expensive equipment. So, the majority of the cost associated with public safety is still born by the entire community, but the initial infrastructure it’s helpful when development is paying for their fair share.”
Impact Fees will now be calculated by square footage instead of the former flat rates, with the largest increase for new residential property for homes over 2,100 square feet. The Impact Fee will increase 248 dollars to 887 dollars.
Local Realtor Steve Montanez says he was appreciative the increase wasn’t as large as he anticipated, but disagrees with the growth expectations the increase was based on.
“The last land use assumptions predicted an increase of over 500 jobs a year,” Montanez said. “When unfortunately the last two years we have lost jobs, and we’re not getting the influx of new employment, new applications, and new people coming here to reflect an increase of 500 jobs.”
City Councilor Ceil Levatino was the sole vote against the increase, she says even if it isn’t a large increase the perception of any increase could have an effect on the housing market.
“One of the impact fee increases was 38%,” Levatino said. “That’s a huge percentage increase, and you can’t get around that. And it’s going to scare people, especially first time homebuyers, who have been saving and struggling and working two jobs. And doing everything right in order to participate in the American Dream. Their going to feel as though their being denied that, and that’s my concern.”
Mayor Ken Miyagishima says the increases are necessary to keep the high ratings of the police and fire departments.
“Public Safety is job number one,” Miyagishima said. “And of course we’re very fortunate that we have one of only 99 fire departments that are ISO rated number one. In order to enable to continue that kind of progression, forward thinking, we need to constantly invest in our police and fire departments. Our police and fire personnel. And all the equipment to make our city as safe as possible.”
The new public safety impact fee rates will go into effect on July 1st.
