Editorial: N.M. Should Refocus ‘Pork’ on Infrastructure

It’s not the report card of your dreams. Its highest mark is a “B plus” and the rest are “C”s and “D”s.

New Mexico got those grades from the state’s civil engineers. And the grades reinforce what many state, county and city leaders have been saying for a while. New Mexico needs to invest wisely in its infrastructure — and sooner is better than later. Piecemeal funding for small projects that aren’t completed and/or staffed doesn’t lay a firm foundation for residents or businesses.

The American Society of Civil Engineers’ report, the result of a 14-month study and analysis by nearly 50 civil engineers, graded New Mexico as average for the state of its infrastructure but called construction funding inadequate and noted that some critical infrastructure is deteriorating quickly.

Here are the marks: aviation “D+,” rail “C,” roads “C,” solid waste “C,” flood control “D+,” bridges “C-,” drinking water “C-,” waste water “C,” transit “C+,” and schools “B-.”

The engineers attribute the problems largely to age and a lack of investment in improving and maintaining them. The comments raise serious concerns:

♦ New Mexico’s airports get only about 66 percent of needed funding and are “experiencing a steady decline.”

♦ More than 70 percent of New Mexico’s dams are “considered deficient or not in satisfactory condition.”

♦ Many bridges are near the end of their design lives.

♦ Potable water systems are deteriorating due to age.

“How we get to work, how we raise our families, and how we can build a more sustainable future all depend on infrastructure,” says Society President Andrew W. Herrmann. He is right.

The dismal report reinforces what Gov. Susana Martinez has argued — spending money on larger projects with a bigger impact on improving the state is more effective than doling out bits of legislative “pork” for small local projects.

While small projects may be needed or desirable, many times capital outlay appropriations don’t contain enough money to finish the job or leave the local community with recurring expenses it can’t fund.

The state Board of Finance has come up with a plan for improving how the Legislature appropriates money for public works projects. Lawmakers should give it serious consideration in the next session. The state’s future depends on sound foundations to attract business, create jobs and maintain services its citizens depend on.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.