N.M. Stat. § 7-19D-14 — NM Code / Chapter 7 / Article 19D / Section 7-19D-14
§ 7-19D-14. Quality of life gross receipts tax; authority to impose; ordinance requirements; use of revenue; election
Status: in_force

A. Prior to January 1, 2016, the majority of the members of the governing body of a municipality may enact an ordinance imposing an excise tax at a rate not to exceed one-fourth percent of the gross receipts of a person engaging in business in the municipality for the privilege of engaging in business. The tax may be imposed in one or more increments of one-sixteenth percent not to exceed an aggregate rate of one-fourth percent. The tax shall be imposed for a period of not more than ten years from the effective date of the ordinance imposing the tax. Having enacted an ordinance imposing the tax prior to January 1, 2016 pursuant to the provisions of this section, the governing body may enact subsequent ordinances for succeeding periods of not more than ten years; provided that each ordinance meets the requirements of this section and of the Municipal Local Option Gross Receipts Taxes Act. The tax imposed pursuant to the provisions of this section may be referred to as the “quality of life gross receipts tax”.

B. The governing body, at the time of enacting an ordinance imposing the quality of life gross receipts tax, shall dedicate the revenue to cultural programs and activities provided by a local government and to cultural programs, events and activities provided by contract or operating agreement with nonprofit or publicly owned cultural organizations and institutions.

C. An ordinance imposing any increment of the quality of life gross receipts tax shall not go into effect until after an election is held and a majority of the voters in the municipality voting in the election votes in favor of imposing the tax. The governing body shall adopt a resolution calling for an election within ninety days of the date the ordinance is adopted on the question of imposing the tax. The question may be submitted to the voters as a separate question at a general election or at a special election called for that purpose by the governing body. A special election shall be called, conducted and canvassed in substantially the same manner as provided by law for general elections. In any election held, the ballot shall clearly state the purpose to which the revenue will be dedicated pursuant to this section. If a majority of the voters voting on the question approves the ordinance imposing the quality of life gross receipts tax, the ordinance shall become effective in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Local Option Gross Receipts Taxes Act. If the question of imposing the quality of life gross receipts tax fails, the governing body shall not again propose the imposition of the tax for a period of one year from the date of the election.

D. The quality of life gross receipts tax revenue shall be used to meet the following goals: promoting and preserving cultural diversity; enhancing the quality of cultural programs and activities; fostering greater access to cultural opportunities; promoting culture in order to further economic development within the municipality; and supporting programs, events and organizations with direct, identifiable and measurable public benefit to residents of the municipality. It is the objective of the quality of life gross receipts tax that the revenue from the tax be used to expand and sustain existing programs and to develop new programs, events and activities, rather than to replace other funding sources for existing programs, events and activities.

E. The governing body of a municipality that imposes the quality of life gross receipts tax shall, within sixty days of the election approving the imposition of the tax, appoint a municipal cultural advisory board consisting of between nine and fifteen members. Persons appointed to the board shall be residents of the municipality who are knowledgeable about the activities eligible for quality of life tax funding. The members of the board shall be appointed for fixed terms and shall not be removed during their terms except for malfeasance. The terms of the initial board members shall be staggered so that one-third of the members are appointed for one-year terms, one-third are appointed for two-year terms and one-third are appointed for three-year terms. Subsequent appointments to the board shall be for three-year terms. If a vacancy on the board occurs, the governing body shall appoint a replacement member for the remainder of the unexpired term. A board member shall not serve for more than two consecutive terms.

F. The municipal cultural advisory board shall have the responsibility of overseeing the distribution of the quality of life gross receipts tax revenue for the goals listed in Subsection D of this section. The board shall:

(1) biennially submit recommendations to the governing body for expenditures of revenue from the quality of life gross receipts tax that are allocated pursuant to this section through contracts for services with appropriate organizations and institutions;

(2) establish and publicize the necessary qualifications for organizations and institutions to receive quality of life gross receipts tax funding; and

(3) develop guidelines and procedures for applying for funding through a request for proposals process and the criteria by which contracts will be awarded. The evaluation process shall include a public review component.

G. The municipal cultural advisory board shall establish reporting requirements for recipients of the quality of life gross receipts tax revenue. The board shall provide to the governing body an annual evaluation of the use of revenue from the quality of life gross receipts tax to ensure that it is meeting the goals listed in Subsection D of this section.

H. Every four years, the municipal cultural advisory board shall review and revise as necessary:

(1) the guidelines and procedures for applying for funding; and

(2) the criteria by which applications for funding will be evaluated.

I. As used in this section:

(1) “ cultural organizations and institutions ” means organizations or institutions that have as a primary purpose the advancement or preservation of zoology, museums, library sciences, art, music, theater, dance, literature or the humanities; and

(2) “ municipality ” means an incorporated municipality except for an incorporated municipality with a population in excess of two hundred fifty thousand according to the most recent federal decennial census.