Discussing the 1/4 cent transportation tax

Recently, I sat down with Channel 13 to discuss the 1/4 cent transportation tax that is on Albuquerque ballots in this fall’s municipal election (taking place now). Footage of the story is available here. Also, the Mayor’s streetcar proposal landed on the front page of the Albuquerque Journal again this week due to a disagreement between Mayor Chavez and RJ Berry over whether to call the project a “trolley” or “modern streetcar.”

Regardless of what you call it, the position expressed by Chavez in the article and on his Rio Grande Foundation candidate survey that “the streetcar is not on the ballot in this election” is absurd on its face. After all, a government takeover of America’s health care system was not on the ballot this past fall, but most of us understood that voters who supported Obama for President were endorsing that. Similarly, a vote for Martin Chavez is an implicit endorsement of his proposals including the trolley/streetcar and arena.