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Lea County commissioners accept certified 2025 property tax rates amid disputed values
Summary
Lea County commissioners voted unanimously to accept certified 2025 New Mexico property tax rates from the DFA while staff said protested values totaling hundreds of millions of dollars must be excluded and that county officials will continue pursuing corrections with state agencies.
Lea County commissioners voted unanimously to accept certified 2025 New Mexico property tax rates after staff presented the certified valuations and warned of outstanding protests and questions to be resolved with state agencies.
Miss Binge opened the presentation, saying, “We have received the certified tax rates from DFA. They have been reviewed.” She told commissioners the statute requires them to instruct staff to impose the certified rates now and that any necessary corrections can follow if the state issues revised certified values.
Staff reported total certified property valuation of $22,892,061,991, an increase of almost $1,000,000,000 from the prior year. Officials said a large portion of year-over-year changes is driven by nonresidential oil-and-gas production and equipment values.
“You cannot include any protested values when you go to setting the rates,” Miss Binge said, identifying $767,000,000 in state-assessed values under protest and local protests of $7,000,000 for nonresidential properties and $700,000 for residential properties.
Speaker Alwan raised concerns about two school districts that he said had voted bonds and “shouldn't have gone through yield control,” saying those districts “should be at 2 and 2.” Alwan said he had been in contact with “mister Duran,” who had assured him the rates were correct, and noted municipal imposed-rate discrepancies for Lovington and another municipality referenced as “Jow.”
Staff and commissioners emphasized that while the commission’s immediate duty is to accept the certified values as provided, further adjustments are possible if the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) issues revised certifications. Miss Binge said staff would continue to pursue clarification and corrections with DFA and other state entities, including the Public Education Department (PED) and the Department of Administration (DOA).
An unidentified commissioner moved to accept the certified values “that that is certified,” and Miss Binge seconded the motion. During roll call, Cherryton, Vysha Weber, Kimbrell, Pierce and Sims each voted yes and the motion carried unanimously.
The commission took no additional action at the meeting; staff said they will follow up with state agencies and will not finalize printed materials until they have confirmation of any changes. The meeting adjourned with no further business.
