Over 100 people joined the Santa Fe Governing Body for a Special Meeting Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning to discuss the up to nine possible ballot questions to be placed on the November ballot.
The longest debate was on the proposed three-percent excise taxon the sale of homes over a million dollars. The money raised would be earmarked for affordable and workforce housing projects in Santa Fe.
A long line of residents and housing advocates spoke about the proposed tax, nearly all in favor of the ballot proposal.
In the end the Governing Body approved placing the tax on the ballot. Lee Garcia was the only no vote who says he opposes another tax.
Cosponsor Councilor Jamie Cassutt says now supporters will have to convince the public to approve the measure. She says the key will be education.
“As we heard tonight there was a lot of either misinformation or missing information so making sure the voters are really well aware of what this does, where the impact is, where does this money go is going to be really crucial,” she said. “There is a campaign that is launching. Representative Andrea Romero is chairing a committee that is going to be taking off to make sure that we are getting to our voters, educating them and turning them out on November 7th, or before. Early voting works too.”
The Governing Body also approved asking voters to make changes to the appointment, terms and functionsof the Charter Review Commission and to lower the number of signatures to place a citizens initiative on the ballot from 33.3% to 15% of voters.
The proposed ballot question to establish a Human Rights Commission and an Office of Equity and Inclusion in the City Charter was rejected and will instead likely be considered as a resolution that wouldn’t risk the chance of being voted down.
Other proposed charter amendment ballot questions regarding the budget process, quasi-judicial procedures and creating an office of Inspector General were also rejected as councilors said they do not need to be part of the City Charter and could be better addressed through resolutions that would allow the Governing Body to dig deeper and create better legislation.
A proposal to ask voters that would have the Mayor only vote to break a tie and give the office veto powers was postponed with the body saying it needs more study of the possibility.
