A measure to finance nearly $224 million in capital improvements, including buildings at colleges and universities, was approved Tuesday by the Senate.

Financing would come from general obligation bonds, which must be approved by voters in the November general election. Revenues from a property tax levy would back the bonds.

The measure allocates almost $140 million for higher education projects, about $58 million for health facilities, nearly $15 million for senior citizen projects and $11 million to acquire books and equipment at public, tribal, school and university libraries.

Sen. Carlos Cisneros, D-Questa, said project financing was developed in consultation with House leaders and Gov. Bill Richardson's administration.

The bill was approved unanimously by the Senate and sent to the House.

Later in the session, the Legislature will assemble a separate capital improvement package that pays for projects with surplus money from the main budget account and bonds backed by severance taxes.

Among the projects financed by the Senate-approved bill:

• $17 million for a cancer research and treatment center at The University of New Mexico.
• $19 million for an arts complex at the main campus at New Mexico State University.
• $7 million for facilities for a UNM dental residency program.
• $5 million for a health sciences center at San Juan College.
• $10 million for a hospital at the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas.
• $12 million for westside campus facilities at Central New Mexico Community College.
• $7 million for a wind research and training center at Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari.
• $4.5 million for a multipurpose education center at Luna Community College in Las Vegas.
• $3.5 million for central plant upgrades at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs.
• $9 million for renovation of a technology building at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales.
• $5 million for renovation of Pearson auditorium at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell.
• $4 million for an allied health building at Clovis Community College.
• $9 million for infrastructure improvements at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas.
• $8 million for renovation and expansion of the central utility infrastructure at New Mexico Tech in Socorro.
• $6 million for classrooms and lab space at NMSU's Doña Ana East Mesa Center.
• $6 million for the college of educational renewal at UNM.
• $4 million for a film and digital media building at UNM in the Mesa del Sol development.
• $6 million for infrastructure at Western New Mexico University in Silver City.
• $4.2 million for training space for vocational and technology programs at Santa Fe Community College.
• $3 million for a regional wellness center at the Santa Fe Indian School.
• $3 million for an allied health and university transfer center at the NMSU branch campus in Carlsbad.
• $2.3 million to renovate public health offices in Alamogordo, Sunland Park and in Roosevelt County.
• $900,000 for upgrades to Calvin Hall at UNM's Gallup branch campus.
• $5 million for the Ben Luján learning resource center addition at Northern New Mexico College's campus in Española.
  

The general obligation bond capital outlay bill is Senate Bill 333.




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