Albuquerque – New Mexicans say they would rather spend their taxes on a train ride to Santa Fe than a rocket ride to space, according to a poll released Sunday.
Nearly 60 percent of 400 people polled statewide Aug. 25-31 said they want a commuter train between Belen and Santa Fe, the Albuquerque Journal reported Sunday in a copyright story.
The train will cost $393 million in state and federal funds and is expected to cost $10 million annually to operate.
The poll also found that 56 percent of respondents are opposed to spending $100 million in state funds to build a spaceport near Truth or Consequences.
The poll commissioned by the Journal and conducted by Albuquerque-based Research & Polling Inc. has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
The Rail Runner commuter train was supported more by Democrats – 67 percent – than Republicans – 53 percent. Statewide, 31 percent of those surveyed thought it was a bad idea, and 10 percent did not know, the poll found.
