Thomas and Mayor Disagree on SAD

News New Mexico exchanged e-mails with City Councilor Sharon Thomas (below right) yesterday. It is clear there is enough of a difference in opinion between Thomas and Mayor Ken Miyagishima to keep the $10 million extension of North Sonoma Ranch Road Boulevard delayed indefinitely. Thus far, the Special Assessment District (SAD) project, which includes a major road LCPS desperately needs has not even come to a final vote.

    It seems that the contention on this issue lies in Mayor Miyagishima's belief that the City’s bond counsel and the City’s financial advisor were satisfied with the land that was proposed to include in the SAD. These are experts that were hired by the City to facilitate the SAD process. Both had extensive experience with SAD proposals throughout the state. Though Councilor Thomas had her own ideas about which properties belonged in the SAD, neither the bond counsel or the financial advisor pointed out compliance problems at meetings. Instead they indicated the funding from the New Mexico Finance Authority was in place to build the $10 million thoroughfare.

    On the News New Mexico radio program on Wednesday July 7th Mayor Miyagishima indicated he believed the project had not moved forward for approval because of "inexperience" on the part of some members of council. He also cited the spreading of misinformation by certain groups of people in the city that took advantage of this inexperience. Councilor Thomas gave no indication of a willingness to come on News New Mexico and provide facts to refute the Mayor's views and affirm her own. Thus far News New Mexico has not become convinced that the mayor has this story wrong.

    Councilor Dolores Connor (above left) is the only councilor who has accepted an invitation to come on the show. She will appear on Tuesday morning at 7:30am. We are hopeful that somehow, in some way Councilor Connor can bring this $10 million privately funded road building project to a vote. To date, Councilors Silva, Pedroza, Small, and Sorg have remained silent as to what their positions are on the fully funded $10 million road project that will not go away.

Thomas and Mayor Disagree on SAD