BY LISA SHIN
Chair,
Republican Party of Los Alamos

Please mark your calendars for our last Central Committee meeting of the year on Dec. 18 6pm at 6 p.m. at Open Door Bible Church, 2101 Trinity Drive in Los Alamos. We will have a brief business meeting to review our 2026 budget, then celebrate Christmas and spread holiday cheer!

The Republican Party of Los Alamos has always supported our small business community, and thankfully, we have Councilor David Reagor. However, as Kevin Holsapple recently wrote, “Many of our local businesses continue to struggle with maintaining pre-pandemic cash flow and revenue margins…difficulty finding workers, increased labor costs, and high operational costs…” As a result of the County’s lack of support for our entrepreneurs, we have a high number of empty storefronts and vacancies, “economic dead zones” all over Los Alamos and White Rock.

I personally do not believe that pumping $80M++ in public funds into “redevelopment” will result in a vibrant downtown. I question whether taxpayers should subsidize more high density apartments and retail spaces that are too expensive to rent. Does this “benefit our whole community” or profit-driven developers? I believe that Los Alamos needs more live-work spaces that are within reach for citizens to own, like The Lofts in Santa Fe or the live-work town homes in Quemazon.

As shared previously, I was very disappointed about our County’s decision to form a County-led MRA Review Committee instead of a citizen-led MRA Commission. Clovis City established a MRA Steering Committee which included elected officials, city staff, and business owners and residents within the MRA district.

Clovis and other neighboring communities understand the immense value of local participation. Unfortunately, Los Alamos County does not. Again, small business owners will not be represented and not be able to review MRA plans, applications, and development agreements in real time. Instead of direct participation in the process for redevelopment in the Mari-mac shopping center area, citizens will continue to be kept in the dark and 3-5 minute public comments will be largely ignored.

After the Council’s vote to increase Gross Receipts Taxes, it became painfully clear that small business owners lack true advocacy and have no say on matters that directly impact them.

Moving forward, this is what we can do:

1. Shop local! Encourage residents, organizations, churches, and other groups to use our restaurants and shops for goods & services. In the new year, RPLA plans to use local catering services and organize more meetings and events at our restaurants.
   
2. Future County Councilor candidates must be strong advocates for the small business community. They must say: “I have direct access to 50 small business owners who will guide my votes on Council. If 45 of them oppose this measure, I will vote NO.” RPLA will highlight anti- business votes of our Councilors. Support for small businesses cannot be merely a campaign slogan.
   
3. Future County Councilor candidates must promote affordable housing ownership for both residents and businesses. Property ownership is essential for financial success, stability, and independence, a big part of the American Dream.
   
4. Advocacy for our small businesses by writing public commentary (LTE), holding our Councilors accountable, and keeping the public informed about County actions that harm our local businesses.
   
   Lisa Shin, RPLA Chair
   contact me at chair@losalamosgop.com
   Website: http://www.losalamosgop.com Phone: 505-310-3254
   Facebook: @RepublicanPartyofLosAlamos