Carlsbad, NM town hall & government
Carlsbad spent $85.8 million in the year to June 30, 2023, about $2,692 per resident.
Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Carlsbad's government.
Coming up at Carlsbad's town hall
- Oct 2Fri · 12:30 pmAlejandro Ruiz Senior Center Advisory BoardAlejandro Ruiz Senior Center Advisory Board MeetingAlejandro Ruiz Senior Center Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct 5Mon · 12:30 pmCarlsbad Community Volunteer Network Advisory BoardCancelled Carlsbad Community Volunteer Network Advisory Board MeetingSan Jose Senior Center Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct 5Mon · 5:00 pmPlanning & Zoning CommissionPlanning & Zoning Commission MeetingJanell Whitlock - Council Chambers Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct 6Tue · 5:30 pmRiverwalk Recreation Complex Advisory BoardRiverwalk Recreation Complex Advisory Board MeetingRRC Powerhouse Room Meeting page ↗
- Oct 7Wed · 10:00 am
- Oct 7Wed · 4:00 pmLake Carlsbad Golf Course Advisory BoardMunicipal Golf Course Annex Meeting page ↗
Recent meetings
- Sep 25Fri · 3:30 pm
- Sep 25Fri · 1:00 pmDisabilities Advisory BoardSpecial Disabilities Advisory Board Meeting114 S. Halagueno Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Sep 22Tue · 6:00 pm
- Sep 17Thu · 1:30 pmHistoric Preservation BoardHistoric Preservation Board MeetingJanell Whitlock Agenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
- Sep 17Thu · 8:30 amBoard of Water and Sewer Commissioners09-17-2026 Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners101 N Halagueno Agenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
- Sep 16Wed · 4:30 pmVeterans Memorial Advisory BoardVeterans Memorial Advisory Board MeetingPublic Works Conference Room Agenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
- Sep 16Wed · 3:00 pmCarlsbad Museum Advisory BoardCarlsbad Museum Advisory Board MeetingMuseum Agenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
- Sep 14Mon · 5:00 pmPlanning & Zoning Commission09-14-2026 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting114 S. Halagueno St Agenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
Official listings from Carlsbad's agenda portal ↗, checked daily. Times are local. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check the portal before you go.
Where Carlsbad's money goes
Where the money comes from
- Utility sales 36%
- Fees & charges 24%
- From the state 22%
- From other local governments 11%
- Sales taxes 3%
- From the federal government 2%
- Interest, fines & other 2%
Who works for Carlsbad
Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Carlsbad didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.
Carlsbad Municipal Schools
Carlsbad's K–12 school district. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.
Where the district's money comes from New Mexico districts overall: 17% local, 64% state, 20% federal
- Local 59%
- State 34%
- Federal 7%
Of the $16,025 per pupil, $8,998 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.
Which schools Carlsbad kids attend, test scores and graduation rate →
What homeowners in Carlsbad pay
The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Contact Carlsbad's government
Who represents Carlsbad
Carlsbad is represented in Congress by Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján and Representative Gabe Vasquez. Michelle Lujan Grisham is governor.
Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.