E-mail Story
Print Friendly
Journal North: Home | Sports | Opinion | Obits | Entertainment
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Letters
Reconsider Increase In Property Taxes
In these troubled economic times, the Santa Fe Association of Realtors urges the Santa Fe City Council to reconsider a proposal to raise property taxes.
To date, it is unclear what the funds would be used for except to fill a general budget shortfall. Serious questions arise when any city proposes to raise the existing property tax by more than 40 percent.
Has everything possible been done by our leaders to ensure that city government has been streamlined and efficient in utilizing existing tax dollars? Can strict management analysis identify further reductions? Has a review of personnel rule and regulations been conducted to identify benefits that have proved cost prohibitive? Has the city considered privatizing any existing services or programs? Cities across the country are finding creative and innovative ways to maintain services and programs by working collaboratively with local nonprofits and businesses.
Many of our local homeowners are still struggling to keep their homes while facing increased energy prices due to unrest in other parts of the world. Home ownership matters. National studies link home ownership to improved health, better quality of life, neighborhood stability, civic participation, and educational achievement. A tax increase may mean the difference between affording to keep a home or not.
Raising property taxes by our city leaders without a public vote by its citizens deserves our collective skepticism and oversight.
JOANNE VIGIL COPPLER
President, Santa Fe Association of Realtors
Increasing Revenue Is a Better Option
I want to commend Mayor Coss and Councilors Chris Calvert, Carmichael Dominguez, Rosemary Romero and Ronald Trujillo for the foresight to increase city revenue instead of cutting services. This kind of proactive solution is what we hope to see from our city leaders.
Considering that Santa Fe has the lowest property tax rate in the state, I think it's completely reasonable to ask us to pay a little more to help the city maintain its important work. There are plenty of supposed leaders whose answer to everything is to cut taxes for the wealthy. Enough! How about a government that acts responsibly and seeks shared sacrifice instead?
We need a "government different" for our City Different. Keep up the good work!
MICHAEL COOP
Santa Fe
Rail Runner Comes With Its Price Tag
The Rail Runner commuter train was launched in 2008. A considerable increase in home burglary has followed. This has confounded the Santa Fe Police Department, as the police chief pointed to the perfect storm of lack of jobs and the poor economy as the cause.
This problem is a direct result of a perfect delivery system for juvenile crime rings. A ride into Santa Fe and a return trip before curfew for the minimal cost of a few dollars.
Money flows downhill and crime flows uphill. In Albuquerque, theatergoers and retail businesses are up. And home burglaries are at a level much the same year to year. An indirect result of this could mean a stimulus for more jobs in law enforcement and growth in home and business security companies for Santa Fe.
This is a dubious legacy left by the former governor. The Rail Runner is looking to be a train to nowhere and a delivery system that is costly and burdensome. Keep the train, keep the pain.
TED ITAGAKI
Santa Fe
Xyy yyy yyy yy yy yyy yyy yy y
Somehow Steve Pearce thinks he's the kingmaker for the Republican nominee for Jeff Bingaman's Senate seat. He's not — he's a metiche, a buttinski meddling where he has no business.
The past election proved that Steve Pearce is too conservative to carry the state in a general election. The end result of his previous attempt was to cripple the moderate Republican candidates who could carry Albuquerque and "el norte." Pearce's fratricidal losing campaign crippled the Republican effort and elevated Tom Udall from Pelosi's Poodle to Harry Reid's Lickspittle, and now we're going to be stuck with Tom Udall for another 30 years. Nice going!
Heather Wilson is the most viable candidate in the field and is moderate enough to carry districts 1 and 3 against the Democrat floor sweepings now crawling out of the political cesspool. Pearce, the Republican establishment and the Tea Party should get behind her and raise enough money to squeeze out her no-name challengers in the primary and prevail in the general. With concerted early support, I think she can win; without it, New Mexico will be condemned to another Democrat toady senator for the foreseeable future.
They need to get behind Heather and give us another Republican Senator in the spirit of Pete Domenici. If not, can you say "Senator Richardson"?
DAVE THOMSON
Los Alamos
You also can send comments via our comment form
|
|
