Rail Runner Tax Plans Advancing (NM-Richardson's Railroad)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | July 16, 2008 | Dan Mckay

[CedarDave]

Plans for a sales tax to support the Rail Runner commuter train and a regional bus system are gaining steam.

Bernalillo and Sandoval counties are to consider this week publishing a legal notice needed to put the one-eighth-cent tax on the Nov. 4 ballot. Valencia County might do the same, though perhaps not until next month.

"I think the Rail Runner's time has come," said Alan Armijo, chairman of the Bernalillo County Commission. Voters "at least need the opportunity to decide that."

The tax proposal must clear one more step before going to the counties — passage by the regional transit board Wednesday. That board, however, cannot put the tax on the ballot itself.

If approved, it will ask the counties to do that. Sandoval County has a meeting scheduled Thursday, and Bernalillo County has one Friday.

"Mass transportation is where we've got to start looking to with the cost of gas and lack of river crossings," Sandoval County Commissioner Don Leonard said.

Lawrence Rael, executive director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments, which staffs the transit district, said the tax would go into effect only if approved by a majority of voters in the whole three-county district. The votes would be pooled together, so it doesn't matter whether the tax fails or passes in any one individual county, as long as it passes overall.

The tax is expected to raise $26 million annually. Half would help pay for Rail Runner operations in the three-county region. The train is now funded through federal grants, but they are expected to expire.

[CedarDave]

I would like to see some public debate on this proposed tax including a realistic fare structure (right now you can ride the entire 50+ miles all day for $4.00, less for seniors!). The train is only having a small impact right now on public transportation (a couple thousand per day) as it runs north-south and Albuquerque is mainly situated east-west. A bigger impact may occur when the Santa Fe extension is completed in six months (for comparison, the entire route would be about the length of the Long Island RR from NYC to Montauk). However, fare-box recovery must be more than the current 14% or the estimated 7-9% when the Santa Fe portion is opened. New Mexico's poor taxpayers must not subsidize the line to the extent of 90%.

[fishtank]

I wonder how many busses you could buy and run with the same amount of money??

[rahbert]

amazing that NM has the cash to fund this. Maybe those
Indian casinos are doing better than I thought!

[CedarDave]

Lots of buses — the whole project is costing a few million shy of one-half billion dollars!

[CedarDave]

In spite of Richardson’s efforts to stiff the oil and gas industry (just extended a drilling moratorium in an area south of Santa Fe and has placed extreme restrictions on drilling), the state has gotten an extra $400 million dollars in revenue from oil and gas operations. He wants to spend that on his universal health care proposals and will call a special legislative session in September to do that. However, some of the remaining senior conservative Democrats say it should not be spent on programs requiring recurring appropriations as such revenues will not always be available.

[CedarDave]

Whoops! #5 was meant for you!

[rahbert]

Ah - Didn’t know there was any oil/gas activity in SF County - I though all the plays were in Rio Arriba and
San Juan.

I’d be suprised if the SF Co supes ever permitted anything
so crass as petro or coal extraction to take place, since it would spoil the art/craft/sticks-rocks-olive jar-pinon vendor based economy..

[CedarDave]

Ah - Didn’t know there was any oil/gas activity in SF County - I though all the plays were in Rio Arriba and San Juan.

There's been some drilling in the past, but never came up with anything worthwhile. I'm glad someone's battling the NIMBY rules, but it isn't just the SF County folks; the state oil division wants to have rules that address the environmental impact of drilling including whether too many wells in a single area impact the environment. Greenies now control every aspect of natural resource extraction and their mantra is JUST SAY NO!