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Council asks staff to draft municipal-judge pay ordinance tied to 90% of magistrate salary after lengthy debate
Summary
Following a broad discussion about elected-official pay, council directed staff to draft an ordinance that would set the municipal court judge’s salary at 90% of the magistrate judge salary, with future increases tied to magistrate adjustments (subject to budget/savings clause). The motion passed 4-2.
The Los Alamos County Council on Sept. 9 directed the county manager and county attorney to draft an ordinance setting the municipal-court judge’s salary at 90% of the state magistrate judge salary and to provide language that would allow future increases tied to magistrate-salary adjustments, subject to budgetary safeguards.
The action followed extensive public testimony from elected officials, including the municipal judge and probate judge, who argued the municipal judge salary has not kept pace with state judicial increases and that competitive compensation is needed to attract qualified candidates. The probate judge also urged higher compensation and raised a separate request to raise appointed-official pay now.
Elected officials and residents warned that very low pay limits candidate pools in a high-cost county. Municipal-court representatives noted that many statewide judicial salaries have increased in recent years and that aligning municipal salary as a percentage of magistrate pay is a common approach used by other municipalities.
Councilor Reiting moved the directive; after debate about budget-language and contingent debt, the motion passed 4-2 (Councilors Hand and Reagor opposed, one absent). Council instructed staff to return with a drafted ordinance and supporting comparative data for other counties.
