What's going on, Albuquerque?

Morning Fix: A Whole Lot of Rooty Tooty

    •   After $1M fine for sexual harassment and discrimination, Albuquerque IHOP gives "Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity" a whole new meaning.

   •   World champion pool player Jeanette Lee, The Black Widow, whacks local firm right in their pool cue.

   •   Police union survey shows the cops hate the Chief and Mayor more than I thought possible.

   •   Last month was best ever for ABQ Ride with 1,237,344 passenger boardings. That's a 5.3% increase in ridership YOY. Well, something's working.

   •   ABQ owns around 2200 pieces of property in the city…and seems to be stuck with them. For a map, scroll down to page 3 in the PDF link.

   •   Last year New Mexico exported $442M worth of goods to ISRAEL, our state's second biggest trading partner. What an amazing number!

   •   Doctor says drug overdose deaths in NM twice the national average. In access to treatment programs we are next to last.

   •   New hospital wing at UNMH only garners 3 out of 5 votes for support at the Bernalillo County Commission. UNM already has the money…just looking for a little love.

   •   Lowe's hiring 300 more phone customer support personnel. $10M in industrial revenue bonds given credit.

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Comment by ramon t on November 14, 2012 at 2:47pm: Shotsie - Aren't those businesses paying also through their property taxes? Aren't businesses taxpayers also?

Johnny - I have no problem with UNMH expanding if there is a need. I'm just questioning why there was so much money laying around? I would have thought that kind of expansion would need to be funded through some other means not just excess cash that could have been spent on other needs.

Comment by once banned twice shy on November 14, 2012 at 3:57pm: Ramon T: I know my name isn't Shotsie, but unless a business owner OWNS his or her building, no, he or she is not paying property taxes. They are taxpayers in other senses, though. That much is true.

Comment by ramon t on November 14, 2012 at 4:18pm: Even if the business rents/leases his building he is indirectly paying the property tax. It is built into the cost of the lease. At least that is what a landlord who is trying to remain solvent would do.

Just the same with apartment/home renters do. I consider them paying for UNMH, APS, CNM, AMAFCA and MRGCD also.

Comment by Hunter on November 14, 2012 at 4:20pm: obts - A typical business lease is "triple net". Net of taxes, insurance, and operating expenses. The business owner or tenant pays those items over and above the rent. Otherwise, the rent includes the property taxes, etc.

Comment by Phil_0 on November 14, 2012 at 4:54pm: My great aunt had a major stroke about a year and a half ago. She had insurance, but was unresponsive when found and was taken to UNMH because of its regional trauma center status. She was stuck in the ER - with the attendant noise, commotion, and people freaking out in the hall - for more than a day before they could find her a bed in the ICU. I understand this was not an atypical experience

The new UNM hospital would provide more patient beds and enable people to get out of the ER faster; it's much-needed in my opinion.