Street car project has been scrapped

ROLLING DOWN CENTRAL AVENUE. ANTOINETTE ANTONIO IS LIVE ALONG CENTRAL TO SHOW US WHY THEY NEED...  More »

ROLLING DOWN CENTRAL AVENUE. ANTOINETTE ANTONIO IS LIVE ALONG CENTRAL TO SHOW US WHY THEY NEED TO SCRAP THE ORIGINAL IDEA. ANTOINETTE? THAT ORIGINAL IDEA HAD A HIGH PRICE TAG... AND NO ONE COULD AGREE ON HOW TO PAY FOR IT. THAT'S WHY THE PROPOSAL NEVER MADE IT TO CITY COUNCIL. NOW CITY OFFICIALS SAY GOING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD IS THEIR ONLY OPTION. DON'T COUNT ON A MODERN STREETCAR ROLLING DOWN CENTRAL ANYTIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 'well we had a heck of a debate over streetcar and came pretty close to moving forward on it but right now the project is definitely in limbo.' THE PROJECT NEVER MADE IT OVER IT'S FIRST HURDLE... FUNDING. A-B-Q RIDE DIRECTOR GREG PAYNE SAYS SOME OF THE MONEY WOULD'VE COME FROM AN EXISTING TRANSPORTATION TAX. BUT TO PAY FOR THE ENTIRE 270- MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT... AN EXTENSION ON THE TAX -- WHICH EXPIRES IN 20-10 -- NEEDED TO HAPPEN. THE COUNCIL ORIGINALLY APPROVED THE EXTENSION--- THEN REVERSED IT. 'if the mayors office does come down with a new proposal I would hope that it has a financing package worked out in advanced that does not involve tax increases.'CADIGAN SAYS HE'S NOT TOTALLY AGAINST THE IDEA OF A LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM. HE'S JUST AGAINST WHAT THE CITY HAD IN THE WORKS. the project that the administration came down with a couple of years ago was the cadillac version TRANSIT OFFICIALS AGREE.. AND SAY SCALING IT DOWN MAY BE THE ONLY WAY TO BRING THE PROJECT BACK TO LIFE. I think it's going to take us going back to the blackboard and figuring out a way of approaching the public and really getting their support on this project. CITY OFFICIALS SAY PART OF THE SCALE DOWN MAY BE TO COMPLETELY TAKE OUT THE LINE THE RAN DOWN TO THE SUNPORT... AND START WITH JUST A SMALL STRETCH RIGHT HERE ALONG CENTRAL. LIVE DOWNTOWN.. AA.. EWN4. SANTA FE COUNTY JUST EXPANDED THE  « Less