New Mexico Liberty

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Paul Gessing

Tell Mayor Berry What You think of a Taxpayer-Financed Convention Center Expansion

You may have read a few weeks ago in the Albuquerque Journal that Mayor Berry is again considering the construction of a taxpayer-financed "events center"/convention center expansion downtown. While I have made the case against this project repeatedly in the past -- the target has certainly shifted -- I'll give the Mayor credit for listening to what average citizens have to say.

Go to this link and take a few moments to submit your comments pro or con. I certainly don't think this should be a top priority for Albuquerque taxpayers, particularly in light of the long-term decline of the convention business and the $50 million deficit facing the City. So, take a few minutes to make your thoughts known.

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Mike BlessingPermalink Reply by Mike Blessing on March 4, 2010 at 2:16am
Here's the comment I posted —

I think that the City (or whoever else does it) should sell shares in for the project, to be paid off with cash raised by the events held there.

Haven't we been taxed enough already?
Thomas MolitorPermalink Reply by Thomas Molitor on March 4, 2010 at 9:10am
By "shares" you're not talking about equity you're talking about debt paper, right?
Mike BlessingPermalink Reply by Mike Blessing on March 4, 2010 at 1:43pm
It really doesn't matter to me how they pay for it, as long as the cash doesn't come from the City coffers.
Thomas MolitorPermalink Reply by Thomas Molitor on March 4, 2010 at 9:09am
>"I'll come out with my take on this, with my position on this, when I feel like the homework is done," Berry said.br />
First off, what kitty does the money come from to buy the land ? The City's general economic development fund?
Secondly, I'm sure the actual construction of the facility will be financed through a combination of public and private money and I assume would be put to a bond vote?
Mike BlessingPermalink Reply by Mike Blessing on March 5, 2010 at 11:01pm
If the Nine Idiots really want to build this elephante blanco, let them have a pledge drive, like KUNM and KNME have periodically.
Thomas MolitorPermalink Reply by Thomas Molitor on March 4, 2010 at 9:40am
Albuquerque’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.7 percent in December, up from 8 percent in November. The area was down by 1,000 jobs in December and 13,900 jobs over the year. If Mayor Berry is keen on building "an event center" I suggest a "Job Fair" as its first event.
Mike BlessingPermalink Reply by Mike Blessing on March 4, 2010 at 1:52pm
There's plenty of room in the existing Convention Center that they can use for any Job Fair, or any other event. It's not our fault that the parking situation there flat-out sucks.

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