Los Alamos County Manager Anne Laurent presents her annual State of the County report during the Chamber Business Breakfast Jan. 15 at SALA Event Center. Photo by Marlene Wilden/ladailypost.com

By MARLENE WILDEN
Los Alamos Daily Post
marlene@ladailypost.com

Los Alamos County Manager Anne Laurent presented her annual State of the County address Thursday during the monthly Chamber of Commerce breakfast, reviewing the past year and outlining priorities for 2026 while portraying a busy but financially cautious government.

She told business leaders the County is balancing multiple priorities, including major infrastructure projects such as the Jemez Mountain Fire Protection project, road and utility improvements and the replacement of Fire Station 4. The County is also addressing housing pressures and expanding broadband while managing volatile revenues and national economic headwinds.

“We’re not just one business, we’re many different businesses,” Laurent said while introducing her senior management team, describing weekly leadership meetings where managers “take off our individual silo hats” to focus on the community as a whole.

The County’s strategic plan centers on five focus areas identified in the Polco/National Research Center 2024 National Community Survey:

• Quality Governance;
• Operational Excellence;
• Economic Vitality;
• Quality of Life; and
• Environmental Stewardship.

Ratings for the local economy and businesses fell below the national benchmark, with affordability emerging as a top priority. Staff develop “management action plans” for each area, which guide the annual budget and are tracked on a public dashboard.

Tax hike to stabilize revenues

Laurent said one of the most consequential actions of the past year was the council’s decision to raise the County’s local gross receipts tax by 5/8ths of a cent, effective July 1, 2026—about $6 to $7 per $1,000 in taxable spending.

She said the move was driven less by a desire to expand government and more by the need to “maintain fiscal stewardship” as County revenues, heavily tied to a single major federal employer, began to decline after several years of growth. Similar steps are being taken by local governments nationwide as pandemic-era federal aid fades, unfulfilled FEMA funding commitments remain, and inflation drives up the cost of goods and services.

“We knew that we were going to, in a few years, hit the wall and be in a situation where we were making cuts or unable to fund capital projects,” Laurent said, adding that rising labor and construction costs compounded the pressure.

Los Alamos maintains sizable reserves to smooth out what Laurent called “quite volatile” revenues. She said the council could roll back the tax if collections consistently exceed needs and staff will propose a financial policy to direct excess revenues into economic development and housing funds.

The County also recently launched an Open Books Portal on its website, allowing residents to drill into spending by category. Staff are exploring ways to highlight key metrics, such as procurement going to local businesses. Last week, Los Alamos became the first local government in New Mexico to introduce an “Ask The County” feature, which combines a chatbot with short videos to provide residents personalized, on-demand responses. Both initiatives aim to provide digital transparency and meet taxpayer concerns.

Housing and local business support

Housing affordability and workforce shortages are putting a strain on local employers, Laurent said.

The County is using subsidies and limits on rents and resale prices to support housing. Laurent highlighted 87 deed-restricted units at the Ninth Street Apartments, tied to long-term affordability requirements, and a contract with Santa Fe’s Housing Trust, part of a broader trend of government intervention where the private market has not met demand.

Other projects include 380 homes on the A-8-A parcel and a mixed-use development on 20th Street with about 285 market-rate units and 25,000 square feet of retail. The County is also discussing a joint housing project on North Mesa with the school district, which has delayed decisions until a new board is seated.

About 20 businesses have expressed interest in the County’s grant program, launched in September to help smaller operators reinvest in buildings and capital infrastructure. Two applications are close to moving forward to the County Council for approval, Laurent said.

“Last year we transferred an additional $400,000 into the Economic Development Fund to support LEDA projects, and that’s on top of a significant existing balance,” she said.

The funds support a broader placemaking strategy. The County has designated metropolitan redevelopment areas in downtown Los Alamos and White Rock to back public–private partnerships that reduce blight, upgrade infrastructure and improve commercial districts.

In collaboration with the Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation (LACDC), a searchable, QR-enabled online business directory is being finalized, and staff are holding focus groups to make the permitting process easier—changes Laurent framed as critical to helping businesses capture more of the spending from tourists and regional visitors.

Tourism, quality of life and public safety

Tourism saw a spike tied to the “Oppenheimer” film in 2023, followed by declines and renewed growth before a federal government shutdown hurt visitation. Laurent’s presentation pointed to a 13 percent increase in visitors through July 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Numbers have fallen since June, partly because of a reduced shuttle program at Bandelier National Monument that dampened traffic. The County has hired Destination IQ for tourism marketing and is focusing on attracting more overnight visitors and events, noting that day-trippers with sack lunches contribute relatively little to local revenues.

Public safety remains a major selling point, bolstered by the County’s contract to provide fire services to the Laboratory. Investment in recreation amenities and trail connectivity will continue through 2026. New traffic safety measures include a hands-free cellphone ordinance and rollout of speed cameras, framed as behavior-change tools rather than revenue generators.

The County is still seeking full funding for a dedicated Emergency Operations Center, planned as an expansion of the White Rock fire station, and is exploring grants from Homeland Security and other sources.

Sustainability and waste

Environmental stewardship efforts include expanding the use of reclaimed water for irrigation, building on existing non‑potable systems that supplied 120 million gallons versus about 100 million gallons in the prior year.

An audit showed the County’s recycling contamination rate is better than the national average, but Laurent relayed the Environmental Sustainability Board’s guidance: “If in doubt, throw it out,” warning that non-recyclable items can contaminate entire loads.

The County is also working with regional partners on a future landfill closer than current facilities in Los Lunas and Albuquerque and is evaluating a proposed waste-to-energy plant at Ohkay Owingeh that could provide additional disposal and clean energy options.

As she wrapped up, Laurent emphasized the importance of communication in a small but complex community.

“It’s just not in my DNA to go home and not feel like I got something done,” she said. “Are we perfect? Absolutely not. My only request is, don’t take it personally if we disagree. We’re going to resolve it when we come together and have really good conversations about it.”