Title
Follow up Discussion and Possible Action on Revising Elected Officials Salaries
Recommended Action
I move that Council direct the County Manager to finalize ordinances for the revised salaries as follows: Councilor salary ______________; County Clerk salary _________; Probate Judge salary ____________; Assessor salary _______; and Municipal Judge salary $118,838.
Body
Background
The salaries for the Los Alamos County’s Elected Officials are stated in the Municipal Code. The Code also states which officials are considered full-time, which is only the Clerk currently. Historically, the State of New Mexico set a cap for the elected officials’ salaries. Most recently in 2022, Los Alamos County adopted Ordinance Nos. 02-330 and 02-331 which set the elected officials’ salaries to the State cap as follows:
Councilors - $12,674
Council Chair - $12,674 + $3,170 = $15,844
Clerk - $73,733
Assessor - $7,922
Sheriff - $7,922
Probate Judge - $4,636
Municipal Judge - $104,604
New Mexico Constitutional Amendment 4, the County Officer Salaries Amendment, was on the ballot in New Mexico as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 5, 2024. The ballot measure was approved which amended the State Constitution to authorize the board of county commissioners to set salaries for county officers. This amendment, essentially, removed the State cap for elected officials’ salaries.
This is a follow up discussion on this topic. On September 9, 2025, Council took the following action:
"A second subsequent motion was made by Councilor Ryti, seconded by Councilor Hermann, that Council request that the County Manager and County Attorney draft an ordinance for salary for the Municipal Court Judge based on the ninety percent (90%) of the Magistrate Court Judge salary and that the ordinance further reflect increases to the Magistrate Court Judge Salary as budget allows in future terms."
In addition to formal action, Council also asked that salaries for the elected officials for Chaves, Lincoln, McKinley, Otero, Rio Arriba, and Taos County be provided for the follow-up discussion. These counties were selected for comparison since they were grouped with Los Alamos County in regard to member participation fees paid to New Mexico Counties. These salaries are shown in Attachment A.
The process for setting new elected officials’ salaries is done by ordinance. The County Attorney is developing draft ordinances to accomplish the changes once Council has decided on the new salaries. These draft ordinances also include a provision that the salaries shall be reviewed at a minimum of every four years.
Another issue that Council should consider is if the additional compensation for Council Chair will be maintained. Currently, the Councilor that is elected as Chair receives an additional compensation of $3,170/year.
Finally, if Council desires to increase elected officials’ compensation, these increases will take effect upon the next term of office for the elected position. Increases in elected officials’ compensation during the elected official’s term of office are expressly prohibited by N.M. Const. Art. IV, § 27. The current term end dates for the elected officials as shown below.
Councilors: Four (4) terms end 12/31/26; three (3) terms end 12/31/28
Clerk: current term ends 12/31/28
Assessor: current term ends 12/31/26
Probate Judge: current term ends 12/31/26
Municipal Judge: current term ends 12/31/26
It was noted by County Clerk Michael Redondo that it may be better to consider the Clerk’s salary closer to the current term end date. It is also noted that some other County Commissions has delegated fact gathering and recommendations for changing elected official salaries to an independent citizen body.
Fiscal and Staff Impact/Unplanned Item
This fiscal impact will need to be analyzed for any change to the elected officials' salaries.
Attachments
A - Salary Comparisons