The commission's proposal would be developed utilizing public input and would be designed to meet the needs of all Bernalillo County citizens. It is clear the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County area has developed into a single metropolitan area. The city and county governments already have at least 60 joint powers agreements in place to coordinate, merge or share services. In addition, there are intergovernmental agreements that also cover combined services or activities. These agreements have been executed successfully in the interest of saving taxpayer money and providing more efficient services.
Unification is the next logical step.
Unification would eliminate duplicated or competing layers of government. It would also eliminate duplication of mandated services such as police, fire and emergency medical services. It would allow for more egalitarian distribution of governmental services such as the provision of water and waste water services to outlying areas. There would also be benefits for economic development, environmental health services, public works, planning and zoning functions and internal services such as purchasing and information systems. This is the creation of an entirely new form of government.