Rio Rancho voters have a chance to approve or deny a public-safety bond that would pay for new police and fire vehicles with an increase in property taxes of $25 a year per $100,000 of taxable value for two years. The tax would go away in two years if voters didn’t approve a new bond at that time.  

The current bond question is on the March 6 municipal election ballot. It would raise $4.1 million for about 50 police vehicles, a fire ladder truck, a water truck, a fire engine, firefighter breathing apparatus and part of the cost of an ambulance.

Although the bond would increase property taxes, Deputy Fire Chief Paul Bearce said, taxes would still be lower than when there was a levy supporting hospitals.

Saturday morning firefighters, city leaders and the community participated in the first ever El Paso Fire Department "wet-down" ceremony welcoming new trucks to the city fleet.  

The decades-old tradition involves the new truck being hosed down and then the members of the community help dry the vehicle before pushing it back into the station.