[NENA] Fw: Update on Transportation Tax Extension from Councilor Brad Winter

[Joe and Jean Yardumian]

Update on Transportation Tax Extension from Councilor Brad Winter
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Trujeque, Diana L. 


Councillor Winter has asked me to forward the following information to you: 



To Residents of District 4: 

I have received many calls and emails from you regarding the status of the "street car" and the extension of the transportation tax.  This is to update you on what has and has not occurred.

On February 5, 2007, I introduced a bill (O-07-69) repealing Enactment No. O-2006-44 (Council Bill No. F/S O-06-49) which extended the quarter cent transportation tax for the purpose of establishing a modern street car in Albuquerque.  My bill was tabled for thirty days by a vote of three to one at Monday night's (February 12) City Council Finance and Government Committee meeting.  Councilor Michael Cadigan voted against the deferral.  

In response to a public outcry about the lack of community involvement regarding the extension of the tax, the council subsequently voted to withdraw a bill for the sale of gross receipts tax/transit system revenue bonds in the amount of $200 Million, which would have included the acquisition of a modern street car system and related improvements to the City's roads and transit system.  I thought the message was loud and clear when the Council elected not to hear the bill that would have provided for the sale of bonds to be used for the modern street car, that this was a matter that should go to the voters.  I can't understand why the committee (FGO) found it necessary to hold off on sending my bill on to the Council to be heard with the other street car bills that are before us.  

City Councilor Don Harris' bill (R-06-154), calling for a cost benefit analysis of the modern street car and Councilor Isaac Benton's bill (O-07-71) also calling for a cost benefit analysis and the creation of a task force to study and report on the extension of the current transportation infrastructure tax and the development of the modern street car system are both scheduled to be heard at the Council meeting of March 5.  Another bill I sponsored, creating a task force to study and report on transportation options for the City of Albuquerque (R-06-163) was heard at last night's (February 14, 2007) Land Use, Planning and Zoning Committee meeting and was referred to full Council without recommendation.  It really makes sense for all these (related) bills to be heard together on March 5, and, most importantly, the extension of the tax needs to be repealed.  That is what the public has told us they want.

I will ask the Council for a vote to hear his bill, O-07-69 on March 5.  This action will require the vote of six Councilors.  Unless a bill repealing the extension of the tax is passed, the tax will continue beyond its original sunset date of 2010. 

If you have any questions, please call me at 768-3101. 

Brad Winter 
City Councilor 
District 4 











--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.411 / Virus Database: 268.17.39/686 - Release Date: 2/14/2007
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://noreste.org/pipermail/members_noreste.org/attachments/20070215/fbde13f3/attachment.html