Mark (IL)
Regular Member
Anyone know if firearms are allowed at the State Fair?
It has been posted at the entry as no guns allowed.
Ok but does that not violate article 2 section 6 of the NM constitution? Is NM Expo state land? If so, this is an illegal posting and an illegal ban since local authorities are preempted by state law.
A couple things:
First- inside the fair grounds, alcohol is served. That alone made it completely off-limits before the laws changed allowing CC with a license in certain types of establishments.
That being said, I do not think it is state land per se, and I am fairly certain that private operations lease the land for uses such as the state fair.
That doesnt apply to the whole fair grounds. Adults have to drink in specific "corrals" and children are not allowed within those "corrals". As for leases for "private operations", it is still state land, and the "private entity" is still doing public actions on public lands. This really needs to be taken to federal court.
Please provide a cite as to how you have determined that the land of the fairgrounds is actually public state land.
On edit- I just spoke with the state land commissioner's office and the records department. According to them it is "fee land" or private land and not state-owned.
You might try doing a tiny little bit of homework to back up your statements. Again- if you can provide information indicating otherwise, I'm all ears.
I know that this is old thread, but if you are claiming "Fee land", then are they simple and merely leasing state land?
Or Santa Claus.I dont care if its "leased" to Santa Clause. Its still state land! They are merely trying to concoct some sort of reason to claim that its private property to use the excuse that they can ban firearms and "do whatever they please". I think that that clearly violates the NM constitution.
I dont care if its "leased" to Santa Clause. Its still state land! They are merely trying to concoct some sort of reason to claim that its private property to use the excuse that they can ban firearms and "do whatever they please". I think that that clearly violates the NM constitution.
I am in the process of contacting Michael Henningsen who runs the Expo, after being forwarded to them by Governor Martinez office who in on email told me that they appoint the managers to clarify who actually owns the property. I wont expose what I am talking about until I get the emails sorted out.
No, it is not state land. I think your claims are completely off-base according to what you want to believe, based on emtion.
You go on believing what you want. I don't believe in conspiracy theories. The person who "runs the expo"? Whoever "runs the expo" may in fact lease the private property from the private land owner.
I told you I spoke to the state land office. There are no "managers" needed to clarify anything.
I'll be here waiting for you to back up your claims.
Well I got emails from both Gov Martinez and EXPO NM manager, who both say that it is in fact state property. However, they just wont change their policies without a lawsuit. I would love to find an attorney that would take this case.
Prove it. Back up your claim and show us the emails, in entirety and unedited. Until then, I will take the word of the state land office people and what they told me. I have no reason to believe they would have given me inaccurate information.
I locate land and ownership for a living.
Well I got emails from both Gov Martinez and EXPO NM manager, who both say that it is in fact state property. However, they just wont change their policies without a lawsuit. I would love to find an attorney that would take this case.
The land known as Expo NM (NM State Fairgrounds) is private land owned, not leased by the NM STATE FAIR COMMISSION, as indicated by the Bernalillo County Property records. (Go to: http://www.bernco.gov/property-tax-search). It is zoned A-1 with a Special Use Permit to house the State Fair (EXPO New Mexico). Total full value for the 225 acres is listed as $17,576,600. Since the private land is used for State purposes, the net taxable value on record is $0.”
Ok - Here's an update on the question of whether the New Mexico State Fair property is - or is not - state property. For reference see the attachments to my prior post.
In an e-mail response to an inquiry made by the Chairman of The Constitution Party of New Mexico asking which “statutory exemption” is applied to the New Mexico State Fair property, the Bernalillo County Assessor's Office wrote:
Mr. Barrie,
Thank you for your inquiry. The property located at 300 San Pedro NE (UPC #101805739637410121) is currently receiving a state exemption further identified as section 7-36-7 NMSA 1978 NM Constitution Article VIII Sec. 3.
Please contact me if I can be of further assistance.
Thank you,
Karen Montano
Bernalillo County Assessor’s Office
505-222-3721
Now, NMSA §7-36-7 exempts from taxation in New Mexico "property exempt from taxation under the federal or state constitution, federal law, the Property Tax Code or other laws...." The section as a whole speaks to property exempt under law, or as either oil & gas property or productive mineral property.
Art. VIII, Sec. 3 of the New Mexico State Constitution says: “The property of the United States, the state and all counties, towns, cities and school districts and other municipal corporations, public libraries, community ditches and all laterals thereof, all church property not used for commercial purposes, all property used for educational or charitable purposes, all cemeteries not used or held for private or corporate profit and all bonds of the state of New Mexico, and of the counties, municipalities and districts thereof shall be exempt from taxation.”
So, in reading what the Bernalillo County Assessor has to say, I am now of the firm opinion that the New Mexico State Fair property unequivocally IS state property. The next step is to press this in Court.... Who is up for being the Poster Child to challenge the “no weapons” sign ostensibly banning firearms at the Flea Market entrance as being posted in violation of NMSA §30-14-6? I am of the opinion that it will take having a Judge make a legal decision on the matter. Otherwise, the "State Fair Guards" will continue to prevent law-abiding citizens from exercising their rights.
Charlie