*To reauthorize existing funding for North Central Regional Transit District (RTD Blue Bus)
No Increase In Taxes!
The GRT Reauthorization passed handily in all four counties. Following is the tally by county and District-wide and a comparison to the 2008 vote.
|
|
For |
Against |
|
Taos County |
82.82% |
17.18% |
|
Santa Fe County |
73.37% |
26.63% |
|
Los Alamos County |
72.35% |
27.65% |
|
Rio Arriba County |
68.38% |
31.62% |
|
District Wide |
74.02% |
25.98% |
In the November 25, 2008 and results were as follows:
|
|
For |
Against |
|
Taos County |
66.28% |
33.72% |
|
Santa Fe County |
55.24% |
44.76% |
|
Los Alamos County |
64.06% |
35.94% |
|
Rio Arriba County |
53.30% |
46.70% |
|
District Wide |
57.40% |
42.60% |
ENDORSED BY THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN, SANTA FE REPORTER, RIO GRANDE SUN, TAOS NEWS AND ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL NORTH
TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICT, THE SERVICE IT PROVIDES AND PUBLIC TRANSIT IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO READ BELOW:
Letter to the Editor: In support of the Blue Bus, by Dan Barrone, Town of Taos Mayor, The Taos News
Letter to the Editor: Students Need Blue Bus, by Dr. Richard Bailey, Jr., Rio Grande Sun
Letter to the Editor: Blue Bus vital to many, by Zachary Dreicher, The Taos News
My Turn: Vote yes on bond for Blue Bus, by Lynn Farquhar, The Taos News
Letter to the Editor: Blue Bus Great, by Leon K. Reval, Rio Grande Sun
My View: A truly successful public transit system, by Miguel Chavez, Santa Fe New Mexican
My View: Reauthorize transit funding in November, by Amy Aguilar-Noriega, Santa Fe New Mexican
Opinion: The NCRTD Blue Bus is a Service that Benefits All of Us, by Charlie Gonzales, The Taos News
My View: Continue Funding Public Transit, by Kathy Holian, from the Santa Fe New Mexican
Public Transit Allowed Me to Keep Working by Julie Blanke, Commuter, from the Los Alamos Daily Post
Public Transit is Important to New Mexico, by the New Mexico Transit Association
THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE REGIONAL TRANSIT GROSS RECEIPTS TAX BALLOT QUESTION TO GO TO VOTERS IN NOVEMBER
At the time the Regional Transit Gross Receipts Tax (RTGRT) was enacted, a January 1, 2024 sunset of the tax was imposed by the four counties which would require the NCRTD to go back to the voters to extend the tax beyond that date. The sunset was never part of the voter referendum and was not voted on by the public.
The NCRTD 2015 Long Range Strategic Plan, prepared for the District and ratified by the NCRTD Board, recommended that the NCRTD seek to repeal the sunset provision, by ballot question, as early as the November 6, 2018 general election, rather than wait until 2022 general election or a 2023 special election prior to the January 2024 sunset.
In preparing for the 2018 election, the NCRTD contracted Research and Polling, Inc. to conduct voter/public opinion research in the four-county area and assess community support for a repeal of the sunset. Specifically, to better understand constituent opinion, assess the likelihood of success of different approaches and ensure voters are accurately informed and understand the outcome of their vote associated with an election to repeal the sunset.
The results were encouraging showing that 81% support reauthorizing the existing 1/8 of a percent tax, while only 9% were either somewhat opposed or strongly opposed. The research also showed that support for public transit, throughout the four counties was very high. View a complete copy of the results below.
Additionally, a public education campaign spearheaded by Griffin & Associates, is now underway in the four-county area to educate and inform the public on who the NCRTD is, what services it provides, its vision and mission, provide overall background on the District and its contribution to furthering community and benefitting the society at large. With this, the District desires to create greater awareness amongst constituents and stakeholders to ensure that voters are better informed and understand what the upcoming ballot question is all about. The program will also work to inform voters on the fact that this is not a new tax, but simply a reauthorization to keep the current one in place.