Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
achedden@currentargus.com

Artesia voters will decide starting next week if a mill levy will continue to fund up to $7 million in operations at Artesia General Hospital via mail-in ballots that are available for about a month.

The mill levy was first established in 1979, when the Artesia Special Hospital District was established, and renewed by voters every four years since. Mail in ballots will go out to voters for the latest renewal May 6, and can be returned until June 3.

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.

Here’s what to know about the Artesia General Hospital mill levy.

Will it raise taxes?

A vote for the mill levy this year will not raise taxes but maintain the levy in place since 1979 of $2.70 per every $1,000 of a property owner’s net taxable property value for those within the district. The district is defined in state statute as “the Artesia public” which is most land within the city of Artesia.

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. Oil and gas property values can also fluctuate drastically, he said, meaning the levy provided between $4 million and $7 million annually to the district over the past four to eight years.

Voting down the mill levy could cause residential property tax rates to decline “slightly,” but not enough for residents to “feel it,” Moreau said.

“The much meatier chunk of this is the property taxes that are paid by the large corporations,” Thoreau said. “It does have some property tax in there on the residential side but a much smaller piece. A big chunk of this is commercial.”

What is the money used for?

The hospital’s chief financial officer, Cory Yates, said the money funds operational costs, including salaries for medical personnel and recruiting of specialists. Having those expenses largely covered by the mill levy, Yates said, allows the hospital to focus more of its revenue on infrastructure and capital investments.

“The mill levy from the district to the hospital provides for our operations. It allows us to recruit staff and physicians,” she said. “It allows us to recruit specialties we might not be able to otherwise for a rural community.”

How can you cast your ballot?

Ballots are being mailed to the homes of registered voters within the hospital district. Ballots include instructions for mailing them back, or they can be turned in directly to the Eddy County Clerk’s sub-office in Artesia at 602 S. First St. or at the main County Clerk’s Office at 325 S. Main St. in Carlsbad.

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.