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SPACEPORT MOVES FORWARD AFTER OTERO VOTE |
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OTERO COUNTY, NM – With the rejection of the proposed spaceport tax in Otero County, New
Mexico, New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) officials will move forward with Spaceport
America, the nation’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport. “This is a disappointment because
this tax would have generated tremendous benefits for the people of Otero County,” said NMSA
Executive Director Steve Landeene. “However, we will move forward with the project as we have
acquired almost 97% of the needed funding, and we will look for support from other local
governments or New Mexico counties not currently in the district that have expressed interest in
joining.”
The election, which would have increased local gross receipts tax by one-eighth of one percent,
drew a large turnout of voters. 9,479 voted in support of the spaceport, and 10,412 voted against.
The TDD is currently made up of Doña Ana County and Sierra County, both of which have
already approved taxation for the spaceport’s construction. Landeene says that other counties in
the state have expressed interest in joining the TDD, and looks forward to exploring those options.
Spaceport America holds great promise for New Mexico’s economic future and has been
working closely with leading aerospace firms such as Virgin Galactic, Lockheed Martin,
Rocket Racing Inc./Armadillo Aerospace, UP Aerospace, Microgravity Enterprises and
Payload Specialties. With planning moving along rapidly, the NMSA currently projects that
licensed vertical launches should begin in the first quarter of 2009 and that the terminal and
hangar facility for horizontal launches should be completed by late 2010.
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