[NENA] Fw: SWAT Alert - Call to Action

[Joe and Jean Yardumian]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Wayne Johnson" <wayne at swatabq.org>
To: <jjyard at sandia.net >
Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 5:03 PM
Subject: SWAT Alert - Call to Action


You are be contacted because you are either a community leader or you were 
part of the effort to stop Albuquerque’s $300 million streetcar boondoggle. 
SWAT has been formed to keep an eye on how our tax dollars are being spent. 
To that end we were alarmed to learn this week that many of the pleges made 
by the administration and the council to perform a comprehensive 
transportation study and to place the issue of a “modern streetcar” and its 
funding before the voters are in jeapordy.

The first step towards putting the streetcar back on track was the 
introduction of O-07-71 by Councilors Heinrich and Benton. It is intended to 
replace the admittedly flawed study proposed by Councilor Harris. The 
Heinrich/Benton bill is even more biased and approaches the issue of a 
streetcar from the position that its inclusion in the overall Albuquerque 
transportation picture is both necessary and inevitable. Further, the bill 
introduced includes the creation of a TIDD (Tax Incremental Development 
District) and the use of TIF (Tax Incremental Financing) similar to the 
almost $600 million in tax subsidies given to Forrest City Covington, the 
developer of Mesa Del Sol. I have attached the proposal to this email for 
your review.

Even more alarming, Councilor Winter’s bill (O-07-69) introduced February 
5th to repeal the extension of the Transportation Infrastructure Tax and 
place the issue before the voters was tabled Monday in the City Council 
Finance and Government Committee. Councilors Sally Mayer, Don Harris, and 
Martin Heinrich voted in favor and Councilor Cadigan opposed. If you will 
remember, the extension was one of the main objections to the streetcar 
plan. The Transportation Infrastructure Tax was originally passed by the 
voters for the specific purposes that did not contemplate a streetcar. The 
Council and the Mayor hijacked that taxpayer mandated and imposed vehicle 
and extended the tax until 2020, eleven years beyond its intended sunset. In 
addition, there are number of questions with regard to the current tax 
including questions of inappropriate use of funds by the Transportation 
Department found by the City of Albuquerque in a 2005 audit.

 As of right now THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE TAX EXTENSION REMAINS IN 
PLACE, despite the promises of the Mayor and Council to repeal it and place 
the question before the voters. The Mayor conveyed his determination to have 
a streetcar during his State of the City address at the January 29th NAIOP 
Luncheon. SWAT believes that these most recent developments are designed to 
move the streetcar forward despite any pledges to objectively study the 
issue or place it before the voters.

We ask you to email all of the city councilors and the mayor and reiterate 
your objection to this project without an unbiased, comprehensive study and 
the direct consent of the voters. Let them kno in clear terms that 
responsible voter-taxpayers passed the original tax, that we haven't 
approved a street car system, and that we demand the this issue be decided 
by voters at the municipal election this fall. You'll find a complete list 
of council emails below. You will also find a personal appeal from SWAT 
President Silvio Dell'Angela.

Regards,
Wayne Johnson
Vice President,
SWAT – Stop Wasting Albuquerque’s Taxes

Council Emails:
ksanchez at cabq.gov; domalley at cabq.gov; ibenton at cabq.gov; bwinter at cabq.gov; 
mcadigan at cabq.gov; mehinrich at cabq.gov; smayer at cabq.gov; cloy at cabq.gov; 
dharris at cabq.gov

By District:
Ken Sanchez, Debbie O'Malley, Isaac Benton, Brad Winter, Michael Cadigan, 
Martin Heinrich, Sally Mayer, Craig Loy, Don Harris




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