Posted on 01/31/2008 12:02:58 PM PST by CedarDave
Santa Fe County commissioners sent a message to state lawmakers Tuesday, passing a resolution that opposes a regional tax increase to pay for operation of a high-profile commuter train.
Less than two weeks after state officials changed their position to support creating a regional tax district to pay for operation costs of the Rail Runner, the commission voted 2-1— with two members absent— in favor of a resolution that clearly expresses their displeasure.
"I think it's important at this point in the legislative process for us to send a strong message," said Commissioner Jack Sullivan, the resolution's sponsor. "I think this sets a bad precedent."
Sullivan said deliberations of the joint county-city Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), which signed off on Rail Runner route and station locations for Santa Fe, would have proceeded differently if the state had pushed a plan requiring local taxpayers to foot much of the bill.
Even Mike Anaya, the lone commissioner to vote against the resolution on Tuesday, had strong words for the state. "It seems like this is being shoved down our throats," said Anaya ...
DOT officials weren't present for Tuesday's vote, but Lawrence Rael, director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments— which oversees the Rail Runner for DOT— said they would have been had they known about the resolution. "The fact is, at the end of the day, this region is the beneficiary of the Rail Runner."
Rael pointed out that a survey released last fall showed that Santa Fe County residents had the highest support for the Rail Runner project of any county surveyed.
"It's really one of those unfortunate situations," he said of Tuesday's vote. "We will make every effort to mend any fences and get information to the county."
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
You ain’t seen nothing yet!
The ‘bipartisian’ transportation bill calls for a 22cent tax increase on gasoline for such purposes(RR).
If you note the CBO is talking about a 36% decrease in the Federal Highway Trust Fund!
Where my money??!!?? (Asking as a small business person in the transportation industry)
Who's your cousin in the Roundhouse? :)
Good, now to get Sandoval and Bernalillo Counties on the same track.
I live on the west side of Rio Rancho. To get to the nearest rail runner station would take me as long as the commute into ABQ where I work. The metropolitan area is set up in a mostly east/west configuration, but the RR runs north/south. The Paseo mess was a good look at why the RR won’t work here.
Richardsonville, USA
They spend all this money on the stupid RR and neglect 125 north&south.They could have made it 3 lanes up and back with a divider in the middle so people would stop crashing head on into each other.I hate that piece of crap they call a highway.
Of course it won't work; it just goes to downtown which is not exactly the economic powerhouse of the city. The RR all along was designed to transport state workers to and from Santa Fe and of course it would have been lots cheaper just to have free hourly bus service.
Regarding Paseo, give them time to propose another high priced scheme -- I'm surprised Mayor Marty hasn't suggested light rail taking up two lanes on the Paseo bridge.
It really hasn’t been improved since it was built, especially the section between Bernallio and Tramway.
NM list PING!
Yep thats some of the worst driving being done in NM right thru that section of road drive me nuts.
Well, I’ve never lived in a city with a river running through it that had so few bridges across it. What do we have in a 40 mile stretch from Bernalillo to Los Lunas - 11 total bridges(550, Alameda, Paseo, Montano, I-40, Central, Bridge, Rio Bravo, I-25, 147 and 6). Insane.
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