Update: Rep says cutting vacant positions could save $280 million

The numbers are big and the money bigger, but the bottom line is New Mexico could find $280 million to help fix its budget.  Rep. Dennis Roch, R-Tucumcari will try to bring an amendment to the state budget bill that will simply cut those state positions which are currently vacant.

Roch points to a report he requested from the Legislative Council Service (LCS) outlining the job vacancies in state government. The report says as of January 4th, there were 4369 vacancies in state government. The problem according to Roch is that the proposed budget lawmakers are trying to tackle would fund 3396 of those positions. Roch argues if the state can function now without those positions filled, then it can function by eliminating them altogether. “That’s a responsible approach to balancing the budget without placing the burden on taxpayers,” he said.

The numbers are hard to follow, but taking a few examples from the report:

• The office of the Governor reports 10 vacancies (or 25 percent of the entire office), but in the budget bill is would still get 100 percent funding
• The Energy Minerals and Natural Resources Department reported 234 vacancies (or 44 percent of the department), but would still get over 95 percent funding.
• The Taxation and Revenue Department reports 435 (33 percent) vacancies. Under the bill they would get nearly 90 percent funding.

Roch argues that the state pays out on average $70,000 per year on one employee and cutting the vacancies would save the $280 million.

Some in the roundhouse say its more complex than that. While none wanted to comment on the record before they saw Roch’s proposal, many said just because an agency has a vacancy, it doesn’t mean there is a pot of money attached to it.  Many agencies build vacancies into their budget and if the positions are eliminated it might not save the amount of dollars Roch feels it will.

The Independent took the report to Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming who said “if those numbers are correct, that’s an overwhelming statement.” Rep. Roch says he not spoken with House leadership about his amendment.

Update: A spokeswoman from the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Deparment said their number of vacancies is drastically different from those in the report cited by Rep. Roch. The agency currently has a total of 64 vacancies:

Personnel:

03/01/10	Total	Requested Waiver	Advertised	Interviewing	Packet Rec’d	Budget Vacancy	Other
YCC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Program Support	8	0	0	0	0	8	0
Forestry	8	0	0	0	0	8	0
ECMD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MMD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
OCD	11	0	0	0	0	11	0
Parks	37	3	1	2	3	28	0
EMNRD	64	3	1	2	3	55