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Backers of a proposed Central Avenue streetcar say they'll seek a public vote after all on financing for the roughly $270 million project.

Lacking the votes on the City Council to approve issuing bonds for the project, supporters said today they will backtrack on a decision to extend a quarter-cent gross receipts tax. Instead, they'll seek voter approval Feb. 6.

"That would give us a few months to debate the issue," said City Council President Martin Heinrich, who was joined at a news conference today by Mayor Martin Chavez and Councilor Ken Sanchez.

On Nov. 6, the council voted 6-3 to retool and extend a quarter-percent gross receipts tax to help pay for the streetcar.

The tax extension brought a revenue stream to the table, but the plan all along had been to use the money to issue bonds worth much more. The city administration had planned to ask the council to allow that on Dec. 4.

But while the council can impose a tax with a simple majority vote, seven of nine votes are needed to give the mayor permission to issue bonds.

And there's the rub: The three councilors who opposed the tax extension - Don Harris, Michael Cadigan and Brad Winter - said Monday they would stick to their opposition.

The issue dominated Monday's City Council meeting, with opponents turning out in force to make comments and wave signs that read "We Want Our Tax Vote Back" and "Stop Wasting Albuquerque's Taxes."

They roasted the streetcar as too expensive, poorly planned, a distraction from other pressing problems and, at any rate, something that should be put up for a vote.

"You can dream with your own money, but if you spend mine I want to see a plan," said Northeast Heights resident Doug Hawley.

Heinrich said the today that the decision to put the whole financing scheme to a vote will give backers more time to convince skeptics of the streetcar's worth.

"There's nothing like an election to raise the profile," he said.