A. There is created in the state treasury the "leasehold community assistance fund". The purpose of the fund is to provide leasehold communities with assistance in meeting their operating budgets.

B. The leasehold community assistance fund shall be administered by the local government division of the department of finance and administration. The division shall determine the funds the leasehold community is eligible to receive from the fund by calculating the amount of money a municipality of similar size receives under all appropriate state laws. Such sources shall include but not be limited to:

(1) property tax levies;

(2) the law enforcement protection fund;

(3) the small cities assistance fund;

(4) the fire protection fund;

(5) gross receipts distribution;

(6) gasoline tax distributions;

(7) cigarette tax distributions; and

(8) motor vehicle fees distributions.

C. Prior to receiving any assistance from the leasehold community assistance fund, the governing body of the community shall agree to be bound by such rules and regulations promulgated by the local government division of the department of finance and administration. That division has the power and duty in relation to leasehold communities to:

(1) require each leasehold community to furnish and file with the division, on or before June 1, of each year, a proposed budget for the next fiscal year;

(2) examine each proposed budget and, on or before July 1 of each year, approve and certify to each leasehold community an operating budget for use pending approval of a final budget;

(3) hold public hearings on proposed budgets;

(4) make corrections, revisions and amendments to the proposed budgets as may be necessary to meet the requirements of law;

(5) certify a final budget for each leasehold community to the appropriate governing body prior to the first Monday in September of each year. The budgets, when approved, are binding upon all tax officials of the state;

(6) require periodic financial reports of leasehold communities. The reports shall contain the pertinent details regarding applications for federal money or federal grants-in-aid or regarding federal money or federal grants-in-aid received, including but not limited to details of programs, matching funds, personnel requirements, salary provisions and program numbers, as indicated in the catalog of federal domestic assistance, of the federal funds applied for and of those received;

(7) with written approval of the secretary of finance and administration and the attorney general, increase the total budget of any leasehold community in the event the leasehold community undertakes an activity, service, project or construction program which was not contemplated at the time the final budget was adopted and approved and which activity, service, project or construction program will produce sufficient revenue to cover the increase in the budget or the leasehold community has surplus funds on hand not necessary to meet the expenditures provided for in the budget with which to cover the increase in the budget;

(8) supervise the disbursement of funds to the end that expenditures will not be made in excess of budgeted items or for items not budgeted and that there will not be illegal expenditures;

(9) prescribe the form for all budgets, books, records and accounts for leasehold communities; and

(10) with the approval of the secretary of finance and administration, make rules and regulations relating to budgets, records, reports, handling and disbursement of public funds or in any manner relating to the financial affairs of the leasehold communities.

History: Laws 1985, ch. 214, § 3.

Bracketed material. — The bracketed material was inserted by the compiler and is not part of the law.

Investment of leasehold community funds. — Because leasehold communities are not local public bodies or political subdivisions of the state, they are subject to the rules and oversight of the department of finance and administration only if they accept leasehold community assistance funds under the Leasehold Community Assistance Act, 6-6A-1 NMSA 1978 et seq., and if the department develops valid rules governing deposits and investment instruments pursuant to the department's authority under the act. Unless the department develops rules governing deposits and investment instruments, leasehold communities are not subject to the restrictions of 6-10-10, 6-10-36 and 6-10-44 NMSA 1978. 2013 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 13-01.