It is time to reboot Edgewood.

The case for disincorporation

The town of Edgewood spans 56 square miles and is responsible for 70 miles of public roadway. After 27 years as a municipality, town leadership cannot keep its financial books in order and has put basic services at risk through its own mismanagement. Town payments to Santa Fe County for fire and EMS coverage dropped from $658,077 in fiscal year 2023 to roughly $10,000 in fiscal year 2024. In April 2026, the county moved to terminate the 21-year agreement because the town was no longer paying its share. A last-minute new agreement kept service in place, but only after a public outcry from residents.

Edgewood was incorporated in 1999 as a reaction to county neglect, based on a misunderstanding of what local autonomy meant in practice. Two and a half decades later, the town has devolved to the point where county service provision cannot reasonably be worse than what we have now.

How we got here

The disincorporation petition did not come out of nowhere. Edgewood's troubles with self-governance have been building for years, in the open, documented by local news. A condensed timeline.

1. 1999
   Town of Edgewood is incorporated, partly as a reaction to perceived county neglect.
2. Aug 2020
   In a special election with triple the usual turnout, roughly 70% of voters approve switching from a mayor-council to a manager-commission structure. Residents have already voted once to fix the town's governance. The new structure did not fix it.
3. Oct 2020
   Sitting Mayor John Bassett is removed from office on allegations relating to a planning board appointment and a sewer line extension, both of which originated under prior administrations.
4. Mar 2022
   A state district judge sends a letter to Edgewood officials urging them to stop using the courts for "petty disputes."
5. Sep 2025
   Town officials publicly claim $2 million in payment errors with Santa Fe County. The Santa Fe County Manager rejects the characterization.
6. Apr 2026
   Santa Fe County moves to terminate the 21-year fire and EMS Joint Powers Agreement. Town payments had fallen from $658,077 in FY2023 to roughly $10,000 in FY2024.
7. Late Apr 2026
   Under public pressure from residents, the town and county approve a new 18.5-year fire and EMS agreement worth roughly $2.3 million.
8. May 2026
   Mayor Mike Rariden announces his resignation, then rescinds it a week later. Commissioners initially do not accept the rescission. Three agenda items about replacing him are skipped once he returns.
9. May 27, 2026
   Residents launch the disincorporation petition. 1,264 signatures are needed to bring it to a vote.

What stays the same

Disincorporation removes the town as a layer of government. It does not remove you, your home, your services, or your representation. The services residents actually use already come from Santa Fe County, the state of New Mexico, the Moriarty-Edgewood School District, or other independent entities. Here is what does not change.

• Fire and EMS coverage

  Santa Fe County already provides fire and EMS service to Edgewood from Station 70 and would continue providing it as part of normal service to unincorporated areas. The expensive new 18.5-year payment agreement the town just signed exists because the town is a separate municipality. Without the town, residents are covered by the county directly.

• Schools

  Schools are run by the Moriarty-Edgewood School District, which is independent of the town. School district lines, taxes, and operations are not affected by disincorporation.

• Law enforcement

  The Santa Fe County Sheriff already has jurisdiction across the surrounding area. Disincorporation transfers full law enforcement responsibility to the Sheriff, the same office residents already call for crimes outside town limits.

• Your address and ZIP code

  Mail delivery does not change. Your address keeps reading "Edgewood, NM" the same way unincorporated places keep their place names.

• County property tax and county services

  County property tax is separate from town tax. County services already in place (roads outside town-maintained roads, libraries, parks, county-funded programs) continue.

• State and county representation

  Your representation in the New Mexico Legislature, in Santa Fe County government, and in federal elections is unchanged.

What does change

Town gross receipts taxes end. The town council and town staff positions are eliminated. Outstanding town debts are paid off before the dissolution closes. Remaining municipal functions transfer to Santa Fe County, which already handles the surrounding unincorporated area.

How the process works

Disincorporation is a formal legal process under New Mexico Statutes Chapter 3, Article 4. Once 1,264 valid signatures (one quarter of Edgewood's registered voters) are gathered, the Santa Fe County Commission certifies the petition and must adopt an election resolution within fourteen days. If a majority of voters approve at that election, the town is dissolved and its remaining functions transfer to the county after outstanding debts are paid.