I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
In tough economic times, it would be easy to anticipate that any measure on the ballot to raise taxes would sink. But New Mexico must love its Rail Runner. And voters must love libraries and parks and the bike paths in Bernalillo County too, because all the bond measures in that county were heading for passage Tuesday night.
The regional transit gross-receipts tax — better known as the Rail Runner tax — would raise gross-receipts taxes by one-eighth of one percent, or about 12 cents on every $100 spent, to help fund the state’s commuter train and other transit projects in the state. Unofficially, the tax was being supported 53 percent to 46 percent with 322 of 423 precincts reporting in Bernalillo County.
The tax would generate about $30 million a year to support the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, bus systems and road projects. Voters in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Valencia and Santa Fe counties would have to pass the tax.
Other Bernalillo County bonds also were passing, including those to improve storm drains and sewers, construct more bike paths and trails and improve parks and libraries in the county.
Although historically, these bonds usually pass, there was some concern that perhaps this year the measures would fail, considering the weakened economy. But that wasn’t so and it seems New Mexicans still have never met a bond or tax increase they didn’t love.
