Taos firefighters say county rescinded municipal distribution of voter-approved fire tax, risking town department budgets

Gabriel Meadow, president of Taos Professional Firefighters IFF Local 5245, addressed the Taos County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 6 to urge restoration and clarity regarding distribution of a voter-approved quarter-percent public-safety tax. "By rescinding the municipal distribution, the county has effectively removed approximately 800,000 from the Town Of Taos public safety budget," Meadow said, adding that town and municipal fire departments had relied on that revenue for staffing and operational commitments.

Meadow said the tax had been adopted for the specific purpose of funding fire protection and EMS and that the commission previously adopted a distribution model directing funds to municipalities. He said removing those funds while the county expands its own fire department risks weakening frontline services residents rely on every day. "When funding is removed from the fire protection, the consequences are real," he said, listing staffing, response times, training and readiness as areas that could be compromised.

He asked the commission to explain why funds appear to be reallocated away from the municipal fire department that responds in the Taos Fire District and whether the county's budget priorities match voters' intent. No substantive county response was captured in the public-comment segment; county staff or elected members did not make a detailed explanation during the public-comment period. The commission did not take a formal vote on this matter at the Jan. 6 meeting; Meadow's remarks were entered into the public record.