Editor:

My wife and I moved into Rio Rancho in 1978, starting our lives together in our first home.

Today, I am president of Lectrosonics Inc., a Rio Rancho-based company with over 130 employees and an Academy Award-winning manufacturer.

In the following years, I have been an active member of the community, participating with non-profits, community-based programs such as Rotary, the Soap Box Derby, the chamber of commerce, the Rio Rancho Community Foundation and Leadership Sandoval County.

I also served on the City of Rio Rancho’s Capital Improvements Plan Citizens Advisory Committee for nearly 10 years starting, with its inception.

CIPCAC provided guidance to the city council for large capital improvement projects in the city.

Throughout these 44 years, I have witnessed the struggles of a growing city working to meet the needs of its citizens while dealing with a constantly fluctuating and unstable income stream.

Now, with this coming election, the city has the opportunity and fiscal capacity to establish a permanent fund that can help buffer these fluctuations in the future.

This fund will allow the city to set aside $10 million into a permanent fund to be invested — under very strict guidelines — for future growth.

View this as a savings account for the city that will continually grow, helping fund both essential and emergency needs as they arise.

Fifty percent of the annual proceeds from the investments would go toward the annual budget funding essential public services, while the other 50 percent of proceeds will be reinvested, allowing the fund to grow.

Rio Rancho now exceeds 100,000 people. We have grown to the point where we can assure and deserve better fiscal stability.

Where does this money come from? The funding is available now due to unanticipated revenues received due to conservative city fiscal management and a boom in home sales.

This is NOT a tax!

One may ask what happens if this doesn’t work out?

Well, the voters can always vote to dissolve the fund and return the funds to the city operating budget.

Why not just spend the money now? Certainly that is an option — just as squandering your own personal savings is an option.

Is it a wise move? Certainly not.

By setting up a permanent fund and providing for its continued growth, Rio Rancho will be developing a fiscal tool that will help the city weather bad times and celebrate good times.

It’s time to step up our financial management.

I’ve been a participating citizen of Rio Rancho since 1978 – 44 years. I strongly endorse the city plan.

Please vote yes for the permanent fund.

Please vote yes for the Road Bond, the Public Safety Bond and the Quality of Life Facilities Bond.

If you vote yes for all of the above, there will be no property tax rate increases.

Gordon Moore
Rio Rancho