Richardson Flip-Flops on Rail Runner Taxes

It was inevitable. While campaigning for President, Richardson stated that tax hikes to pay for the Rail Runner were “off the table.” Now, that he is out of the race, he has put them back on the table. Given the fact that voters in the southern part of the state have been asked to pay for a portion of the Spaceport via higher taxes, it is probably “fair” that residents of the areas served by the Rail Runner pay the costs, but it makes no sense to vote on this now.
After all, the Rail Runner is a fait accompli. It isn’t going anywhere. The trains will run whether voters raise their taxes or not because Richardson wants it to be his legacy. Thus, if taxpayers go along with higher taxes to pay for the train, they’ll essentially be choosing to pay higher taxes for no good reason. Hopefully voters will decide to give Richardson and his boondoggle a firm rebuke at the polls, but I’m sure the Governor and his minions will try to convince the voters otherwise. Nonetheless, these votes are a good thing because they provide voters with their first real chance to express themselves on the train.