Pathways Misinformation Abounds

[Lezle Williams]

This following email from Senator Feldman provides a link to Senate Bill 222.  This is the Bill that we discussed at Thursday's North Valley Coalition meeting.  Please take a moment to review the bill and let me know if you have any thoughts regarding the impact of this bill.

 

Thanks,

 

Chris Catechis

North Valley Coalition President

----- Original Message -----

From: Dede Feldman

To: Dede Feldman

Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:02 AM

Subject: Pathways Misinformation Abounds

Dear Friends, 

Misinformation about SB 222 is spreading, especially throughout my district. My bill will force the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District to use a small portion of the funds it receives from ratepayers in the North and South Valley to develop a recreation program along its ditches and drains 
The Conservancy spokesperson is accusing me of "temper tantrums" and there is a viral e-mail campaign to portray me as some bureaucrat who wants to destroy our way of life and pave the ditches.

I really wish these guys had talked to me about what I'm trying to do…. Of course, I'm not in favor of paving the ditches—instead I want to preserve these pathways largely as they are, rustic and rural. But I do want greater accountability from an agency to which my constituents are paying approximately $2.7 million a year in assessments, although the huge majority do not irrigate. And I do want a process through which a plan can be drawn up -- with public, and regional input -- to better maintain, connect and utilize these pathways, so important to our culture and spirit. After all they are a pubic asset, not the private property of the Conservancy. I think there are great opportunities for better maintenance, signage, maps, etc. but the district has shown little willingness work with neighborhoods proactively -- instead shifting the cost to them for gates, or any improvements.

Please read a copy of my bill, SB 222, and take it for what it is. I think you will find it a responsible attempt to get some action. Without this kind of legislation, we would not have the Rio Grande State Park and the many bosque improvements that came with it. These improvements were a result of a joint effort between the City Open Space Division and the Conservancy District -- which was forced by the legislature to enter a joint powers agreement of the type I envision in SB 222. Under this agreement, Open Space became the operator of the network of trails up and down the river, and I believe they have done a good job.

If you support this effort please contact the members of the Senate Public Affairs Committee and tell them to vote for Senate Bill 222. I think they might be responsive to the tax fairness issue, the need for recreation and trails to be developed with the $18 million surplus in the District's coffers, which is largely composed of assessments from Bernalillo County taxpayers.
 
(Full text of Bill 222 and legislative activity go to http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/_session.aspx?chamber=S&legtype=B&legno=%20222&year=09 )

Here are the names and contact info for committee members:
 
Tim Eichenberg
Capitol Phone: 986-4859 or 986-4300
Home Phone: 828-9474
Email: eichenbe...@gmail.com
 
Vernon Asbill
Capitol Phone: 986-4349 or 986-4300
E-mail: ver...@asbillforsenate.com
 
 
Mary Jane Garcia
Capitol Phone: 986-4726 or 986-4300
E-mail: maryjan...@nmlegis.gov
 
Eric Griego
Capitol Phone: 986-4862 or 986-4300
E-mail: eric....@nmlegis.gov
 
George Munoz
Capitol Phone 986-4387 or 986-4300
E-mail: muno...@gmail.com
 
Cynthia Nava
Capitol Phone: 986-4834 or 986-4300
E-mail: cynthi...@nmlegis.gov
 
Gay Kernan
Capitol Phone: 986-4274 or 986-4300
ggk...@valornet.com
 
To refer to the Albuquerque Journal editorial in favor of this bill please go to my blog: http://senatorfeldman.typepad.com
 
The best kind of lobbying is in person of course, and you are welcome to come up and try to visit with any of these Senators, or to testify when the bill come up for a vote either Friday or Tuesday. Stop by my office in Room 300 first. 
 
Thanks,

 Sen. Dede Feldman

[Lezle Williams]

From: "Simon, Dave, EMNRD" <dave....@state.nm.us>

Date: February 7, 2009 5:23:07 PM MST

To: <North-Valley-C...@googlegroups.com>, "North Valley Coalition" <North-Valle...@googlegroups.com>, "Lezle Williams" <laughi...@intergate.com>

Subject: RE: [N Valley Coalition] Pathways Misinformation Abounds

As a someone who feels privileged and lucky to live in the North Valley—the most beautiful part of our city—and as your State Park Director, I would urge North Valley residents to support Sen. Feldman’s bill.   To me, SB 222 is a reasonable and collaborative approach to improving formal trails programs in the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District.  Such efforts to provide more services to the public on lands that are, after all, public assets, are definitely needed.  And they are justified, given the significant proportion of the MRGCD’s budget that comes from taxpayers in our area.

 

I have attached a fact sheet on SB 322 that Sen. Feldman’s office has produced and I encourage North Valley residents, and member organizations of the North Valley Coalition, to get behind Sen. Feldman’s effort by contacting members of the Senate Public Affairs Committee on Monday and Tuesday in support of the measure.

 

Dave

 

 

David J. Simon

Director, New Mexico State Parks

P.O. Box 1147

Santa Fe, NM  87504

(505) 476-3357 office

(505) 476-3361 fax

dave....@state.nm.us

www.nmparks.com

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