Staff reports

For the first time since 1979, Artesia voters rejected a mill levy to fund operations at Artesia General Hospital, according to unofficial results from the Eddy County Clerk’s Office.

The vote was 638 against, and 605 for, as of June 4. The results of the election will be canvassed during a June 10 special meeting of the Eddy County Commission.

The levy, which was voted on in a mail-in election running from May 6 to June 3, was used since it was established to partially fund the Artesia Special Hospital District to offset costs of the hospital that sits on land owned by the district. It was renewed every four years since being established.

Ballots were mailed to the homes of residents within the district, which encompasses most of the Artesia City Limits.

The levy is collected by the hospital district, which functions as a government agency similar to a school district, and as such is allowed to place the levy on the ballot for voters. The funds are used to support operational costs at the hospital, which serves patients throughout Eddy County and in Chaves County.

A vote for the mill levy this year would not have raised taxes but maintain the levy in place of $2.70 per every $1,000 of a property owner’s net taxable property value for those within the district.

Jarrod Moreau, chair of the Artesia Special Hospital District, said revenue from the levy mostly comes from commercial property owners – mainly large oil and gas corporations he estimated account for 80% to 90% of the funds.

He said the levy provided between $4 million and $7 million annually to the hospital.