Based on common questions members of the public have asked and tough questions from commissioners from three counties, New Mexico Economic Development Department Secretary Rick Homans will try to sell Spaceport America during a meeting Monday in
The meeting of the Doña Ana, Otero and Sierra county commissions begins at 10 a.m. in the commission chambers at the
Homans’ presentation is expected to last about an hour. During the presentation, he is expected to present, for the first time publicly, preliminary architect drawings of Virgin Galactic’s planned facility at the spaceport.
Following that, he’ll answer questions from commissioners, and then other public leaders. Homans will then answer questions submitted by members of the public who attend the meeting.
The public will be asked to write questions on note cards and submit them.
Organizers caution that Homans may not be able to answer all questions submitted. This is a new venture, they caution, and some questions don’t yet have answers. That reveals the degree of uncertainty in the project.
The meeting comes as all three commissions decide whether to ask voters to approve a gross receipts tax increase to help fund the spaceport. The
Here is the list of questions commissioners submitted to Homans so he can address them in his presentation:
1. Explain details of the land transaction at spaceport. How much is it? Who is paying for it? Were there any specific concerns relating to the deal that haven’t been dealt with?
2. Is there a set of blueprints and preliminary design for the project?
3. What are the possible uses for the spaceport? Can it be used for boosts into orbit? Can it be used as an airport? Can it be used as an alternate landing facility for the space shuttle?
4. Are there any potential users or lessees other than Virgin Galactic?
5. Who will be responsible for recovery and rescue operations if emergencies happen?
6. Is there military or other federal government participation in this project?
7. Will there be some sort of regional transportation district service to the facility?
8. Can the location of the spaceport be shown with proximity to communities that can provide hotel, food and lodging services?
9. Is there a possibility of opening the road at White Sands between Engle and
10. What is the timetable for construction and operation? How long will it take to get sewer/water/roads/other infrastructure built? How long will it take to get the EIS process done? What will the financial impact of any delay be? Will there be additional revenues available for impact studies and master planning for anticipated growth in local communities?
11. Once the infrastructure is built, where will funds for maintenance come from and who will do the work (roads/water/sewer)? Where will water rights come from?
12. Is there a detailed cost estimate for the project yet?
13. Who will be the fiscal agent for funds collected in any tax? How will it be administered? Will there be local oversight over this funding?
14. How will the 25 percent of the gross receipts tax (allocated for local use) be transferred to the counties? What specifically can it be used for?
15. How will GRT percentages be determined per county? Does the state have estimates of what amounts they will need from each county? What are the processes used to determine these targets? Can counties sunset the tax if targets are reached before a 20-year sunset period? What is this 20-year period based on? How, legally, will counties be able to sunset the tax when either a funding goal or the time period is reached?
16. What happens if the spaceport program fails after the tax has been collected for years? Will it come back to the local governments to be used for our own needs?
17. People are saying, “Why and how are we paying for a private project with public money?” Please explain, simply, how this is not the case.
18. What language will specifically be on any ballot question?
19. How do we explain the benefits of this issue to the common person when there are so many other needs in all of our counties?
20. What kind of short-term, support industry jobs do we anticipate this attracting?
21. What kind of and how many construction jobs do we anticipate this program bringing in? Where are the jobs going to come form, being that many of the jobs for the new
22. Is the state’s contribution to the project funded? Will the appropriation stay in place earmarked for construction until the completion of the project?
23. Are there anticipated economic inducements (property tax abatements, GRT abatements, Public Improvement Districts, Tax Increment Financing) that will be asked of local governments?