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Friday, September 28, 2007 04:32 am |
*The Purpose of the “West Side Coalition: Legislative Agenda” is to clearly express the goals and objectives of our community. The West Side Coalition will pursue its agenda across all levels of Government (National, State, Regional, City, County, School Board, Commissions, Committees, Boards, Task Forces, etc.).
West Side Coalition: Proposed Legislative Agenda
- Capital School Funding: Use non-recurring surplus to address brick mortar and maintenance for high growth school districts—equitable use of capital for high growth areas. The West Side’s schools not only need brick and mortar, but the schools are getting aged through lack of neglect. (Examine current legislative bills including the Governor’s).
- Separate School District Study: Continue exploration of separate school district through study.
- Adequate Representation/Redistricting—need more representation to catch up and keep pace with growth:
a) On the APS School Board (requires constitutional amendment) and;
b) In the Legislature (more than 200,000+ residents) and;
c) On the City Council: Consider support for a current Memorial for Constitutional Amendment to holding school elections concurrently with general or municipal elections. This change would
- eliminate hundreds of thousands per year in tax-paid costs for independent APS elections,
- add two at-large school board members with much broader perspectives,
- increase voter participation well above the typical turn-out (9% last APS election/this time a pathetic 6% turnout), and
- enable a large number of responsible, civic-minded voters to examine more closely proposed school projects.
- Economic Development: Incentives or inducements to promote economic development and quality job creation on the West Side.
- Public Safety: Explore and cooperatively support and forge initiative that puts more police officers on the street. Encourage creating Regional Public Safety Academies to help recruit, induct and maintain adequate public safety forces.
- Transportation: Exploration of a Comprehensive Regional Transportation System
- Regional Compliance With Clean Air Act: If under the new model for air quality standards, the County of Bernalillo is no longer in violation (attainment status) with federal guidelines (the Clean Air Act); given that regionally there has been an enormous proliferation of automobile use from surrounding municipalities and counties, it is no longer equitable for residents of Bernalillo County solely to contribute hard earned dollars toward compliance with the Clean Air Act. The ‘Air Shed’ is affected by regional polluters.
- Water: (long term sustainability)
Respectfully submitted, Dr. Joe L. Valles
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Last Updated on Friday, September 28, 2007 04:56 am |
Legislative Agenda
