I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Gov. Bill Richardson has identified at least 1,071 vacant, state government positions for elimination, his office announced Friday.
Richardson’s action doesn’t save the state any money because the positions are vacant, but it does shrink state government. That’s because Richardson’s action permanently wipes the vacant positions from the state budget, making it impossible to fill them in the future without legislative approval, a press release from his office said.
The release added:
Most of the positions are vacant as a result of an ongoing hiring freeze that Governor Richardson ordered in October 2008. The freeze prevents agencies from hiring new employees without going through extra layers of accountability to ensure only critical positions are being filled.
The governor’s office also explained that of the 1,071 vacant positions being eliminated 73 were vacant exempt positions, which go to political appointees.
While Richardson’s action completes a pledge the governor made last November to axe 1,000 vacation positions, it also comes two months after Richardson decided in March to veto a provision in the state budget requiring him to eliminate 1,900 vacant jobs.
Currently there are roughly 4,000 vacancies out of more than 20,000 positions across state government, lawmakers have said.
