Mayor Chavez said the funding for a light rail train is there, but city council is rejecting the funds. Councilors say the money should be spent on other projects

A proposed light rail train that would zip through Albuquerque is sparking debate between the mayor’s office and city council.

The mayor’s newest plan for a modern rail system will allow visitors to step on board at the Sunport and then head to Downtown Albuquerque, where they could pick up the Rail Runner.

But City Councilor Michael Cadigan says getting money for the train would derail a lot of other projects in need of cash—project funded by federal stimulus money.

"That federal stimulus money should go either into traditional mass transit projects like Rapid Ride or just good old fashioned buses or to I-25, Paseo del Norte and Jefferson--which is badly in need of being rebuilt,” Cadigan said.

Running from the Sunport along University, the rail would bring sports fans to Isotopes Park, The Pit, and University Stadium. It will also stop at CNM and UNM campuses before heading down Central to the Downtown transit center.

But city councilors voted to remove the rail project from the list of transportation projects the city is submitting to the federal government in hopes of getting stimulus money.

Mayor Martin Chavez said the city council is stopping a project the federal government is giving New Mexico money for.

"What the council has done is said that even if President Obama wants to build it for us and operate for us, we're not going to do it and I think that's just foolhardy,” he said.

Chavez vetoed the council’s decision to remove the $130 million rail project.

Cadigan says he is tired of fighting the mayor on the issue.

"This constant trying to slip it into other funding sources is just not right,” he said.

Chavez says he will continue pushing to get the light rail built.

"I mean why would anyone want to turn down a $130 million which ultimately the city will have a rail system and if somebody else is going to pay for it, I think that's a great deal,” he said.

Cadigan says after looking at the city charter, he is not sure the mayor can even exercise a veto on the bill because it isn’t part of the city budget.

He is asking councilors to override the veto at the next council meeting later in May.