ABQ Times

Voters in Bernalillo County will soon decide whether to continue a significant investment for The University of New Mexico Hospital through a mill levy. This levy contributes approximately 10% to the hospital's budget, aiding its operations and maintenance.

The UNM Hospital was established in 1952 when the Bureau of Indian Affairs donated land for its construction. Since then, Bernalillo County has placed a mill levy on the ballot every eight years to support the hospital. For 72 years, voters have consistently backed this initiative.

Kate Becker, CEO of UNM Hospital, stated, "Because Bernalillo County voters have continued this investment for seven decades, UNM Hospital has been able to deliver an ROI through expansions of health care services to meet the needs of our growing and aging population, training thousands of health care professionals, and establishing a reliable health care hub in our state for high-quality, safe, compassionate and often complex care."

A mill levy is essentially a property tax where $1 is paid for every $1,000 of taxable property value. The taxable value is one-third of the property's assessed value. In addition to supporting UNM Hospital, Bernalillo County collects these taxes for other entities like Albuquerque Public Schools and Central New Mexico Community College. Continuing the UNM Hospital mill levy does not increase taxes but ensures that it remains a vital healthcare provider in New Mexico.

The funds from this levy support various aspects of hospital operations such as food services for patients, maintaining critical supplies, cleaning facilities, securing patient records and software applications, cybersecurity measures, HVAC systems maintenance, patient transportation from parking areas to the hospital, security services for staff and patients' safety, and interpreter services available around-the-clock in over 200 languages.

Over the past year and a half, UNM Hospital leaders held "Community Listening Sessions" with Bernalillo County teams across each district. These sessions allowed community members to express their thoughts about healthcare services provided by the hospital. Feedback from these sessions contributed to a Community Health Needs Assessment.

Becker noted that during these sessions participants shared their experiences with healthcare systems generally and offered suggestions on programs or services they wanted UNM Hospital to prioritize. "The conversations around these questions helped us develop a deeper understanding of what we’re doing well and what needs improvements," she said. "These important community conversations inform leadership decisions about how we use and prioritize mill levy funds and other resources."

The question regarding extending the UNM Hospital mill levy appears last on the ballot. A vote in favor would extend this community investment by another eight years.

For more information about how this investment supports patient care at UNM Hospital visit their website.