From the
Santa Fe New Mexican - by Julie Ann Grimm - Santa Feans pay taxes that help fund the New Mexico Rail Runner Express passenger trains, and trains pass their homes and streets every day, but area residents don't have an elected voting representative on train management issues. That's because an Albuquerque-area government partnership handles the contract for the train that delivers passengers between Santa Fe and metropolitan Albuquerque. The arrangement isn't changing anytime soon. However, a paid employee of the regional transit district that includes Santa Fe is now serving on a committee that will advise train managers about preferred ways to get the train's financial picture under control. Rio Metro Transit District has been the fiscal agent for the train and has overseen train operations since 2009. Although the district receives gross-receipts tax revenues from four counties, including Santa Fe, its voting members are only representatives from the governments in the state's central transit district — the cities of Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, villages of Los Lunas, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, Corrales and Bosque Farms and counties of Bernalillo, Sandoval and Valencia. Mayor David Coss said during a visit to The New Mexican last week that he had learned the city and county would be "getting a voting seat on the Rio Metro board." Coss, who was visiting New York City on Monday, said in a telephone interview that he got that information from City Councilor Rosemary Romero, the city's representative on the transit district board and its current chairwoman. Romero said the transit district board hasn't had a formal discussion about seeking representation on the Rio Metro board, but the idea is likely to be on its agenda soon. Having Mortillaro serve on the advisory committee for train sustainability means the region already has more input than it has in the past, she said.
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Santa Fe City, county lack formal vote on N.M. Rail Runner
From the Santa Fe New Mexican - by Julie Ann Grimm - Santa Feans pay taxes that help fund the New Mexico Rail Runner Express passenger trains, and trains pass their homes and streets every day, but area residents don't have an elected voting representative on train management issues. That's because an Albuquerque-area government partnership handles the contract for the train that delivers passengers between Santa Fe and metropolitan Albuquerque. The arrangement isn't changing anytime soon. However, a paid employee of the regional transit district that includes Santa Fe is now serving on a committee that will advise train managers about preferred ways to get the train's financial picture under control. Rio Metro Transit District has been the fiscal agent for the train and has overseen train operations since 2009. Although the district receives gross-receipts tax revenues from four counties, including Santa Fe, its voting members are only representatives from the governments in the state's central transit district — the cities of Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, villages of Los Lunas, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, Corrales and Bosque Farms and counties of Bernalillo, Sandoval and Valencia. Mayor David Coss said during a visit to The New Mexican last week that he had learned the city and county would be "getting a voting seat on the Rio Metro board." Coss, who was visiting New York City on Monday, said in a telephone interview that he got that information from City Councilor Rosemary Romero, the city's representative on the transit district board and its current chairwoman. Romero said the transit district board hasn't had a formal discussion about seeking representation on the Rio Metro board, but the idea is likely to be on its agenda soon. Having Mortillaro serve on the advisory committee for train sustainability means the region already has more input than it has in the past, she said. Read more
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