An urban county would have home-rule status, as the city of Albuquerque now has. Home-rule governments can establish their own charters or laws as long as they don't conflict with state law. Although Bernalillo County voters would have separate choices to make in subsequent consolidation elections, statewide voters would not, the letter says. For one, it's not an opinion, it's an informal letter, and two, it's expressed as a best guess at what a court might do. Another potential logrolling issue before the state Supreme Court, a package of proposals on judicial reform, was resolved differently, Campbell said.
Time is really critical.
Wilson said she asked for an opinion when her East Mountain constituents said they lacked information about the consolidation. The amendment would eliminate a separate vote by residents in the unincorporated areas, who have opposed such efforts in the past. Most of the objections have come from the East Mountains, part of Wilson's district, and the South Valley. Bill Fleming, a member of the East Mountain Chamber of Commerce board of directors, was among those organizing town-hall meetings on the subject. It was an attempt to get a determination on the issue now, rather than have it come up sometime in the future.