RIO RANCHO — A New Mexico state lawmaker is calling for greater transparency and accountability after reports that Sandoval County Assessor Linda Gallegos is receiving compensation from two taxpayer-funded government positions while continuing to serve in elected office.
Rep. Catherine Cullen, a Republican from Rio Rancho, issued a statement Monday urging public disclosure of the assessor’s outside employment arrangements and raising questions about whether county residents are receiving the level of service expected from an elected official.
The concerns stem from a recent investigative report that, according to Cullen, questioned whether Gallegos is able to devote full-time attention to her duties as Sandoval County assessor while also drawing a second government salary. Cullen said taxpayers deserve clear information about how the assessor’s responsibilities are being fulfilled and how compensation is structured across both positions.
“Public office is a public trust,” Cullen said in a statement. She argued that elected officials should remain fully committed to the positions voters entrusted them to hold and said residents have a right to know how public resources are being used.
The issue highlights broader questions about public-sector accountability and transparency, particularly when elected officials maintain employment outside the offices they were elected to lead. While holding multiple positions is not uncommon in some areas of government, questions can arise when outside employment may affect an official’s availability or performance in office.
Cullen said Sandoval County residents deserve answers regarding how much compensation is being received from both positions, whether assessor duties are being delegated to others, and whether county taxpayers are receiving the services they expect from their elected assessor.
“This is ultimately about accountability,” Cullen said. “Sandoval County residents deserve to know whether their elected assessor is fully carrying out the responsibilities of the office.”
The lawmaker stopped short of calling for specific disciplinary action but said that if the responsibilities of the office cannot be fully met, discussions about stepping aside should occur.
Cullen is also calling for public disclosure of employment schedules, compensation arrangements, and any delegation of official assessor duties connected to outside work. She said transparency is necessary to ensure public confidence in local government and to allow taxpayers to evaluate whether elected officials are meeting their obligations.
The Sandoval County Assessor’s Office is responsible for valuing property throughout the county for taxation purposes, a function that affects homeowners, businesses and local government revenues. The office is led by an elected assessor who is accountable to county voters.
Cullen said the matter warrants public scrutiny to ensure county residents have confidence that the office is operating as intended and that elected officials remain accountable to the taxpayers they serve.
