The Latest Taxpayer Boondoggle Goes Kaput

New Mexico taxpayers are finally off the hook for the latest boondoggle perpetrated upon them by their elected “leadership.” I’m referring to the flights between Albuquerque’s Sunport and the Mexican city of Chihuahua. The state has spent $175,000 of our money to subsidize the three-times-a-week service — which averaged a whopping nine passengers a flight on the 52-seat jets.

Politicians should learn their lesson. If the market won’t support something, wasting taxpayers’ money to support it isn’t going to do the trick…at least not for the long term. Unfortunately, as I blogged a few weeks ago, this “throw money at the problem” mentality is all too common among government officials.

If politicians want to make the Sunport a truly “international” airport, rather than bribing airlines, they should try reducing taxes and unnecessary regulations to make New Mexico a regional economic powerhouse as opposed to a being a ward of the federal government. Give businesses and people a reason to come here to do business and make money and we’ll have more international flights than you can shake a stick at.