County council rejects gas-rate increase for Los Alamos customers
A 4-3 Council vote blocked a gas-rate hike that would have raised the typical bill from $67.45 to $78.53, with David Reagor and three others voting no.
Los Alamos County customers will not see an immediate natural-gas rate increase after County Council rejected the proposal by a 4-3 vote, stopping a change that would have pushed the typical residential bill higher. The split leaves the county’s utility finances unresolved, but for now it keeps monthly gas charges at their current level.
Councilors David Reagor, Melanee Hand, Vice Chair Ryn Herrman and Chair Randall Ryti voted against the increase. Councilors Beverly Neal-Clinton, Theresa Cull and Suzie Havemann supported it after the Board of Public Utilities had approved the final ordinance on May 6 and recommended sending it to council.
County materials said the proposal was designed to close the gap between budgeted gas-system operating costs and the revenue paying for them. Officials said average gas use has fallen from a historical 75 therms a month to 70 therms over the past five years, which has reduced revenue from the county’s fixed-rate structure.
The numbers at stake were clear. County documents said the average residential gas bill was $67.45 when the proposal was introduced. If adopted, it would have risen to $78.53 starting July 1, 2026, and to $86.93 starting July 1, 2027. County notices also said that if the ordinance had moved ahead, a possible final adoption date would have been June 30, with new rates starting Oct. 1 for residential, commercial, county and school customers.
The council’s decision came after a public hearing on June 9 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Los Alamos County Municipal Building, 1000 Central Ave. The ordinance had first been introduced to council on May 19, after a presentation to the BPU on April 1 and the board’s May 6 vote.
County documents say the consequences of rejecting the ordinance are not cost-free. If the increase is not adopted, the Department of Public Utilities would need to curtail gas-system maintenance and replacements. That puts the council’s vote at the center of a familiar Los Alamos tradeoff: hold down household bills now, or find another way to pay for the work needed to keep the system functioning over time.
The outcome also fits a recurring county process. Utility rate changes must be adopted by County Council before they take effect, which means the issue can return whenever officials bring back a revised plan to cover the same operating gap.
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