YOUR TAXES ARE GOING UP IN BERNALILLO COUNTY. THE COUNTY COMMISSION VOTED TUESDAY NIGHT TO RAISE THE GROSS RECEIPTS TAX BY 30-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. PAUL GESSING WITH THE RIO GRANDE FOUNDATION SAYS THE TIMING ISN’T VERY GOOD. HE SAYS IT’S A LOT OF MONEY TO GIVE TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT GIVEN THAT A SIMILAR AND SIGNIFICANT TAX HIKE WAS PASSED JUST TWO YEARS AGO.
COUNTY SPOKESWOMAN TIA BLAND SAYS THERE WOULD BE CONSEQUENCES WITHOUT THE INCREASE. IT COULD MEAN THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT COUNTYWIDE WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE THEIR BUDGET BY FOUR PERCENT BY THIS COMING JULY 1ST. BLAND SAYS THAT WOULD HAVE MEANT AN IMMEDIATE HIRING FREEZE AND EMPLOYEE FURLOUGHS.
