Local 2025 election: What's at stake?
The Los Alamos County Council in October of 2018 approved a resolution creating the Mirador Public Improvement District and a board to oversee it. This November, voters will elect three people to seats on the five-member board. Voters will also select board members for two LAPS districts and three seats on the UNM-Los Alamos Advisory Board.
The Mirador Public Improvement District Board
The Mirador Public Improvement District was created in 2018 to cover the “atypical costs associated with this small atypical development,” according to the county. Specifically, the funding was needed to offset the increased expense of bringing the necessary public infrastructure — roads, lighting, and utilities — to a development that was being built on solid basalt rock.
The county issued bonds to cover the upfront costs and repayment — approximately $2,500 per year — that now shows up as a special assessment on all Mirador property tax bills. The exact amount varies depending on the lot size and whether it’s developed, and the payments are earmarked specifically to pay off the PID’s bond debt and for reimbursing the infrastructure costs. These financial details are overseen by the five-member Mirador Public Improvement District Board.
Who can run for the Mirador PID Board?
Since the PID’s creation, the Board’s five seats have been held only by Los Alamos county councilors and representatives of the developer, the TJT Group (formerly Raylee Homes).
At the time of the last election in 2019, most of the neighborhood hadn’t been built yet, leaving few homeowners to run — and even fewer who knew the opportunity existed.
Now, six years later, more than 100 homes have been built and sold in Mirador. This election cycle offers new residents an opportunity to serve on the board and help oversee the tax dollars they contribute.
Why the Mirador PID Matters
“The board is essentially an oversight board that ensures that the extra tax money gets spent for what it’s supposed to be spent for,” County Clerk Michael Redondo said.
Now, there’s not a whole lot of decision-making at this point in the development’s construction, he added.
But for Mirador homeowners, this is not a small-potatoes board. Even though the board’s decisions may be limited, any homeowner who runs will be handling real money — their neighbors’ money. The levy is essentially an extra payment added to annual property taxes, with hundreds of thousands of dollars flowing through the PID over the lifetime of the bonds, and accuracy and accountability matters.
Commitment & How to Run
A commitment to the Mirador Public Improvement District Board is a six-year term
There are typically three meetings per year that meet virtually, and usually don’t last more than an hour
To be eligible, you must be registered as a voter with an address in the Mirador district (Precinct 8.2)
Los Alamos Public Schools Board and UNM-LA Advisory Board seats up for grabs
Two Los Alamos Public Schools Board seats are on the ballot this November. The four-year terms for District 1, currently held by Ellen Specter, and District 2, currently held by Ryan Adams, are expiring.
At the same time, three positions on the UNM-LA Advisory Board, which advises the UNM Board of Regents on “matters pertaining to the Los Alamos campus” are also on the ballot.
Both boards shape the education landscape in Los Alamos — from preschool all the way through higher education.
Commitment & How to Run
The LAPS and UNM-LA board terms require a commitment of four years.
Anyone who is registered to vote in the relevant school board districts (1 and 2) can run for the seats. District 1 is made up of Western White Rock, Elk Ridge, and parts of downtown Los Alamos. District 2 is made up of Eastern White Rock.
The UNM-LA seats are open to anyone registered to vote in Los Alamos County.
For more information
To run for these board vacancies, you can sign up in person (or by proxy) at the Los Alamos County Clerk’s office on Tuesday, Aug. 26 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The process takes a few minutes, so please allow buffer time to get your declaration of intent in.
You can also fill out a declaration of candidacy form in advance, (or if you’re filing by proxy, an affidavit of designation form), which can be found on the NM Secretary of State’s website.
For more information, e-mail elections@losalamosnm.gov or call the Los Alamos County Clerk’s office at 505-662-8010.