1000 Friends of New Mexico

TIDD Factoid No. 1

Did you know… The state-approved TIDDs for SunCal and Mesa del Sol (both in Bernalillo County) will siphon a combined $52 million annually from the state general fund to pay the developers’ bills for infrastructure. This pre-approved capital outlay to private developers for the next 25 years amounts to the combined general fund capital outlay given in 2008 to 31 of the state’s 33 counties, with only Santa Fe and Bernalillo counties excluded. Over the 25 year life of just these two projects, the state will have diverted over $1.3 billion in general fund revenue.

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Posted on August 1, 2008 at 6:08 am and filed under Tax Increment Financing | Permalink | Comments (4)

Something faster. Something cheaper. Something cleaner.

In an era of high gas prices and concern over oil dependence, climate change, frustrating commutes, stranded older and rural Americans, and pent-up demand for more transportation choices, we need something better to get us where we need to go everyday. Americans are frustrated and looking for something better to keep them moving.

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Posted on at 5:39 am and filed under Transportation and Active Living | Permalink | Comments (0)

Domestic Wells Update

Three weeks ago, Judge Robinson, a district court judge from the southern part of New Mexico, ruled that the domestic well statute was unconstitutional.  Last week, the State Engineer appealed that decision.  As a result, uncontrolled drilling of new domestic wells continues.

We are following reports and editorials (Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces) on this issue from around the state.

This recommended story, from the New Mexico Independent, reports on domestic wells impacting surface supplies and senior rights holders in the Colorado River Basin.

Posted on at 5:29 am and filed under Growth and Development, New Mexico Water | Permalink | Comments (101)

Court Ruling on Water Wells a Victory for Water Protection

A highly-anticipated state court decision came out late last week that overturns the practice of automatically granting permits for new domestic wells regardless of harmful impacts. The 1000 Friends NM Water Project has for years challenged the “domestic well statute” based on the understanding that too many domestic wells in an area can affect the long-term ability of groundwater to provide adequate water into the future as well as water availability for existing users.

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Posted on July 16, 2008 at 3:15 pm and filed under New Mexico Water | Permalink | Comments (1)

Smart Growth on the Front Cover

Note: Joanne McEntire, our Program Director, is a member of the Public Involvement Committee at the Mid Region Council of Governments and serves on the City of Albuquerque’s 21st Century Transportation Task Force.

When the Wall Street Journal covers a Smart Growth innovation on its front page, we at 1000 Friends get a little excited. Gas prices have sure helped to raise the media’s attention to the link between sprawl and driving cars. Article after article has noted the increase in transit ridership, the growing market for housing close to town centers, and the complaints (or willing adjustments) that we Americans have been making. 1000 Friends has been noticing this, thinking that maybe our message over the last 12 years is sinking in, thanks to peak oil.

The Journal’s article “When Gas is Over $4, Cities Explore Whether It’s Smart to Be Dense,” describes how the Sacramento region has provided a working model for integrating transportation and land use. (The website offers a video and photos too.) The state of California supported the region with developing scenarios called the Blueprint several years ago, and over time, the preferred regional plan has been used by the local communities – as well as many land developers! (Note the initial opposition of the Building Industry Association – sound familiar?)

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Posted on at 2:41 pm and filed under Growth and Development, Climate Change, Transportation and Active Living | Permalink | Comments (0)

TIDD Reform Update

1000 Friends of New Mexico continues advocating on behalf of the community for reforms to state and local policies guiding the application of Tax Increment Financing for new developments around the state. For a crash course on the acronyms TIF and TIDD and what they mean, visit these earlier posts.

1000 Friends of New Mexico helped initiate what is now a growing coalition of organizations across the state that is committed to addressing how Tax Increment Financing impacts the state’s ability to manage growth appropriately.

Since the TIF law was amended in 2006, New Mexico has approved the two largest Tax Increment Development Districts (TIDDs) in the country (of thousands in 49 states and D.C.) — both in terms of land area and taxes diverted. Both are in the Albuquerque Metro region.

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Posted on July 3, 2008 at 8:32 am and filed under Growth and Development, Local Advocacy, Tax Increment Financing | Permalink | Comments (3)

Solving the Water and Land Use Riddle

Want to help? Support our NM Water Project today and your contribution will be matched 1:1 by the Turner Foundation.

Members and supporters of 1000 Friends consistently rank water has the #1 issue challenging the state’s ability to manage growth. The most common frustration expressed by constituents to elected officials and organizations like ours is “why am I bombarded with messages to conserve my household water use, while the city and county approve new developments all over the region without even flinching.”
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Posted on July 2, 2008 at 2:50 pm and filed under New Mexico Water | Permalink | Comments (91)