Tourist trouble in Taos
Many visitors are not quarantining on arrival in northern NM, and many aren’t wearing masks
Many of those living in and around Taos appear to be doing the same thing — examining the license plates of out-of-state tourists.
The tourists come from all over, from as nearby as Arizona to as distant as Maryland. They include Georgians, Californians and Oklahomans.
“And Texans,” Taos County Commissioner Candyce O’Donnell said. “Lots of Texans.”
Despite COVID-19 restrictions, many tourists are still traveling across the country, having been cooped up in their homes for months.
Chris White of Little Rock, Arkansas, perused the famed Taos Plaza on Wednesday with his family. He said his family was on a cross-country trip and that they had only been in New Mexico for just over a day.
“It’s a neat little town,” White said of Taos.
But as he took in the sights, White said he was not aware of the requirement for out-ofstate tourists to self-isolate in a residence for 14 days, a rule issued by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham last month.
Had he known of the rule, he said, his family probably would have gone somewhere else.
It’s the lack of knowledge — or willful defiance in some cases — of state-issued health codes that has angered many in Taos, a town heavily reliant on tourism for its local economy.
On a Facebook page titled “Taos & Vicinity Coronavirus Action,” many locals have voiced concerns about incoming travelers not abiding by local health regulations and authorities not enforcing them.
“We are getting tired of the tourists and travelers not abiding by our state mandate and lack of enforcement,” Neha Pant wrote.
Tourists, they say, are putting the rest of the town in danger.
While Taos Plaza was fairly deserted for a typical weekday in August, a smattering of visitors could be seen looking at different shops, some not obeying the local health ordinances.
Keith Washburn, also of Oklahoma, had traveled by recreational vehicle to Red River, which his family has visited for many years. He sat quietly in the middle of the Plaza, sporting no face covering.
When asked why he had no mask, Washburn sighed and pulled a crumpled black mask out of his overalls pocket.
“I’ve got it right here,” he said, putting it over his mouth.
Go home
It’s an issue local officials have been trying to address.
On nearly every street corner in Taos, there’s a sign telling people to socially distance and wear masks. The town recently issued its first mask-related citation.
The Town Council recently passed a resolution authorizing the town to revoke permits of short-term rentals that don’t enforce the two-week quarantine.
Taos Mayor Dan Barrone, who is also the state representative for District 48, said he hasn’t seen any locals express hostility to tourists, but he does hear about it.
“There is somewhat of a divide,” Barrone said.
In some cases, that frustration among locals has gone far beyond the walls of social media, especially as COVID-19 cases in Taos County have more than doubled over the past month. On July 6, there were 49 cases; on August 6, there were 106.
Residents and tourists have reported instances of cars with out-of-state plates getting keyed, people throwing rocks at visitors and people yelling at tourists to leave Taos.
Multiple times, someone has sprayed a message on the walls of buildings or shops in the Plaza: “Go home.”
One of those shops was Atira’s Southwest, a high-end clothing store. Atira, who declined to give her last name, owns the store and said the message upset many of her out-of-state clients.
“They found it very offensive,” she said.
Others understand why some are frustrated. O’Donnell said she doesn’t approve of the graffiti, but gets why local Taoseños continue to be frustrated with the number of tourists.
Business owners, on the other hand, say they need tourists to survive what is already an extremely difficult time.
Like many other parts of the state, Taos County’s economy has contracted sharply since the start of the pandemic, made worse by its reliance on tourism. State officials announced July 15 that the county had the highest unemployment rate in New Mexico, a whopping 30%.
Balancing the local economy’s need for tourists with keeping local residents safe has been a challenging task for many, one that Barrone said the town has had difficulty meeting.
Many business owners said they do not ask tourists if they have quarantined for two weeks.
“If they come in, we assume they’re following the rules,” said David Smith, who manages Taos Mountain Outfitters.
At least three businesses in and around the Plaza have had to close due to employees testing positive for COVID-19.
Little Texas
Enforcing health orders on people from out of state can be especially challenging in northern New Mexico.
A high percentage of residences are second homes for people living across the country, many of whom went to Taos at the onset of the pandemic.
It can, therefore, be hard to know how long someone from Texas has actually been in the area.
But none of the tourists interviewed by the Journal said they had quarantined for two weeks.
The problem is exacerbated in neighboring towns, especially Red River, 36 miles northeast of Taos, where Mayor Linda Calhoun said more than 80% of homes are owned by those primarily living in another state.
Red River has become a source of consternation for many Taos locals, with many accusing the town of letting tourists ignore rules to wear masks and quarantine, who then travel to nearby towns. Barrone said he has talked to Calhoun about the issue on multiple occasions.
Calhoun said businesses and hotels are abiding by all the health codes, but admitted getting some tourists to wear masks has not been easy. Red River has a small police department, and Calhoun said no citations have been written, as she has told her police officers to instead give warnings and encourage people to wear face coverings.
Calhoun also said many tourists have taken notice of how many residents in Taos feel about those from out of state.
“There were a few people that said they were uncomfortable going to Taos, because they do have Texas plates,” she said.
But it appears that the concern from local residents will persevere, at least while the pandemic continues.
“They’re not making it safer for us,” O’Donnell said. “And that’s why they need to stay home.”