As part of this year’s general election, voters in Bernalillo County will be asked if they want to continue making a significant investment in the University of New Mexico Hospital. This investment is made through factory levy, which substantially helps the operation and maintenance of the hospital, and accounts for approximately 10% of the budget.
Mill levies at UNM Hospital have a rich history.
UNM Hospital was established in 1952 when the Bureau of Indian Affairs donated land for the hospital. Bernalillo County agreed to place a mill tax on the ballot every eight years to help operate and maintain the hospital. Bernalillo County voters have supported UNM Hospital through mill levies for the past 72 years.
What is a factory levy?
Simply put, a factory levy is a property tax. The dollar amount of tax paid is based on “mils”, which is $1 for every $1,000 of the property’s taxable value. The taxable value is one-third of the assessed value of real estate.
Bernalillo County collects property taxes not only to support UNM Hospital, but also to support the City of Albuquerque, Albuquerque Public Schools, and Central New Mexico Community College.
Continuing the mill levy on UNM Hospital does not raise taxes, but rather ensures that UNM Hospital remains a trusted hospital providing health care services not found anywhere else in New Mexico.
What does UNM Hospital’s mill levy pay for?
Rather than helping pay for something, mill levies are part of every aspect of hospital operations. Funds from the mill levy will help pay for additional costs associated with being New Mexico’s largest teaching hospital, the only Level I trauma center, and the only pediatric specialty hospital. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, running and maintaining a facility takes effort across all types of services, including:
Providing food service to patients Purchasing and maintaining critical supplies Cleaning all areas of a very busy hospital Keeping patient records and other software applications secure and up-to-date Maintaining cybersecurity Maintaining a robust HVAC system Transporting patients and families from the garage to the hospital Providing security Keeping staff and patients safe Providing 24/7 interpretation services in over 200 languages
Community input
Over the past year and a half, UNM Hospital leaders and community engagement teams have held a series of “community listening sessions” with teams from each county district in Bernalillo County. These sessions allowed community members to share their thoughts, concerns, and suggestions with hospital representatives. Feedback obtained during this session helped inform the community health needs assessment.
“During the community listening session, participants were asked about their experiences with the health care system in general and provided an opportunity to share what programs and services they would like UNM Hospital to focus on to improve the health care experience. ” Becker said. Said. “Conversations around these questions helped us better understand what is working well and what needs improvement. It helps leaders make decisions about how to use and prioritize other resources.”
The UNM Hospital mill levy question is at the end of the ballot. Voting in favor of the mill levy extends this community investment for another eight years and ensures that UNM Hospital can serve Bernalillo County and beyond.
For more information, see How will the factory levy affect me?
