Sandoval County assessor Linda Gallegos resigns amid double-pay backlash

Sandoval County Assessor Linda Gallegos resigned after public backlash over drawing two government paychecks, ending a controversy that had already pushed county commissioners to call for her removal. The fight centered on whether the county’s top property-tax official could do the job while also holding a full-time state position.

The criticism sharpened after Gallegos took a full-time State Cash Manager job on May 4 and stayed on the Sandoval County payroll. The state post paid $155,000 a year, while her county salary was $86,626, a gap that made the dual-role dispute especially hard for county residents to ignore.

The assessor’s office is one of the most consequential in Sandoval County because it shapes property valuations, tax bills and the fairness of the property-tax system. When the office is in turmoil, the effects reach homeowners, businesses and public agencies that depend on timely assessments and a stable tax process.

County leaders had already moved from criticism to formal action. On June 10, the Sandoval County Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution No. 6-10-26.11A, calling on Linda P. Gallegos to resign as county assessor. The resolution said Gallegos was first elected in 2018, assumed office on Jan. 1, 2019, won a second consecutive term in 2022 and was set to serve through Dec. 31, 2026.

Her resignation now shifts control of the assessor’s office back onto county officials, who will have to manage the transition while keeping property-tax work moving. The office remains listed at 1500 Idalia Building D in Bernalillo, with public hours Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., underscoring how central the post is to day-to-day county services.