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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Space tax takes off after US vote | Space tax takes off after US vote |
| (2 days later) | |
| Residents in the US state of New Mexico have approved a new tax to build the nation's first commercial spaceport. | Residents in the US state of New Mexico have approved a new tax to build the nation's first commercial spaceport. |
| Supporters including billionaire Richard Branson and New Mexico's governor had called the tax vote a make-or-break election for the port. | |
| But others say the money should go towards improving local problems and resent having to subsidise the activities of wealthy space tourists. | But others say the money should go towards improving local problems and resent having to subsidise the activities of wealthy space tourists. |
| Taxes will contribute about $50m (£25m) in to the nearly $200m project. | Taxes will contribute about $50m (£25m) in to the nearly $200m project. |
| Revenue expected | Revenue expected |
| Dona Ana County is a relatively poor and bleak swathe of desert in southern New Mexico with fewer than 200,000 residents. | Dona Ana County is a relatively poor and bleak swathe of desert in southern New Mexico with fewer than 200,000 residents. |
| But voters passed a 0.25% increase in the local sales tax to help contribute to the cost of building Spaceport America. | But voters passed a 0.25% increase in the local sales tax to help contribute to the cost of building Spaceport America. |
| Sir Richard Branson has signed a long-term lease with the state of New Mexico to make the new spaceport the headquarters of his Virgin Galactic space tourism business. | Sir Richard Branson has signed a long-term lease with the state of New Mexico to make the new spaceport the headquarters of his Virgin Galactic space tourism business. |
| The spaceport is expected to open in 2009, and Virgin Galactic says space flights will cost around $200,000 for a 2.5-hour flight. | The spaceport is expected to open in 2009, and Virgin Galactic says space flights will cost around $200,000 for a 2.5-hour flight. |
| Supporters of the new tax say the spaceport will bring thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in space tourism revenue to the area. | Supporters of the new tax say the spaceport will bring thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in space tourism revenue to the area. |
| But critics of the tax plan say the money could be better spent on existing county problems. | But critics of the tax plan say the money could be better spent on existing county problems. |
| The area is already home to a Nasa testing facility and was the site of the first nuclear weapons test back in 1945. | The area is already home to a Nasa testing facility and was the site of the first nuclear weapons test back in 1945. |