Excerpt:

A large developer hoping to finance a huge mixed-use development on Albuquerque’s West Side—with bonds based on future tax proceeds—is targeting its most vocal opponent on the City Council.

A mailer sent to District 5 voters this week criticizes City Councilor Michael Cadigan, who is seeking re-election.

Cadigan is a longtime vocal opponent of the tax-proceeds scheme — called TIDDs for short — by which SunCal, the developer, hopes to pay for roads, water lines and other infrastructure for the massive development.

The Cadigan mailer is a reminder that Albuquerque’s future growth, and how to manage it, remains a hotly debated, unsettled political issue as city voters go to the polls next week to elect a mayor and city councilors.

The mailer

A group named Moving Albuquerque Forward sent out the Cadigan mailer. The single largest contributor to Moving Albuquerque Forward was Westland Development Co. LP, a subsidiary of SunCal, city campaign finance records show. Westland gave $10,000 through Sept. 25, 2009.

The organization had raised $26,000 and spent $1,160, through Sept. 25 city records show. The Westland contribution is twice as large as the next biggest contribution—$5,000 from Caballero Farms.

A call to the committee was not immediately returned Tuesday.

The two-page mailer goes after Cadigan for what the group says is the councilor’s inaction on fighting traffic congestion after the opening of three new schools on the West Side.