Governor Susana Martinez announced yesterday that she is inviting all New Mexicans to submit their ideas to cut waste and reduce the size of government by sending an e-mail directly to the Governor’s office. Anyone interested in submitting a proposal can do so by writing to:
CutWasteTips@state.nm.us “If we are going to balance the budget and restore prosperity in New Mexico, we will have to work together to identify and eliminate unnecessary costs,” said Governor Martinez. “I welcome ideas from my fellow New Mexicans as we work in the coming days and weeks to pass a balanced budget.
From day one, my administration has been committed to listening to the people we serve. Today, I am asking for their help as we work to cut wasteful spending, reduce the size of government, and put our state back on track.” Since taking office, Governor Martinez has ordered cuts across the executive branch of state government, including eliminating two chef positions and cutting salaries by 55 percent at the governor’s mansion, as well as trimming cabinet salaries by at least ten percent. On Monday, the Governor introduced a balanced budget proposal that trims government and eliminates inefficiencies, but protects classroom spending and health care for those most in need – all without raising taxes on a single New Mexican.
CutWasteTips@state.nm.us
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40 comments:
Cut dept. head salaries 5%. They already make a lot more than the average New Mexican in the private sector. Why should they make more than the average citizen.
What happened to not keeping Richardson's people
that the DOC there are a few exempts that have been given extentions and possible permenant positions! There is no true ethic going on when those that carry several different hats lose the opportunity for a RAISE but now no light for a promotion!!! Getting rid of the BIG SALARIES seems endless. I hope the Governor takes a GOOD look at those she has entrused to shape up these departments and hopefully change for the benefit of all those TAX dollars going to help all these cheap people live luxury!! They shouldn't have any EXTRA that we don't have
Here is a very controverial thought, but one that needs serious consideration.
School finance are in big trouble and getting worse.
Parents can contribute to their child's education on a sliding scale base on income.
Those who claim they can't afford contribution can surely give us cell phones for educaion.
If state employees would dive the speed limit it would save money. I saw a state vehicle, Commission for the Blind, last three digits of licence # 640, driving between Belen and Socorro at over 80 mph. There is a group home in Belen, Fred Ct. that has over 6 state vehicles parked there most of the time. They take the residents to hospital in Albuq. They only take one patient at a time. The vans can't get over 10 mpg, so why not take more than one resident to the Dr's at one time. Why drive two or three vehicles, to the same Dr?
Get rid of Richardsons cloonies that were given extentions making more then your secretary of corrections. These people cant do their job without everyone else doing it for them and they earn 44.00 an hour. Get rid of these people who are embarrassments to the department. You will save tons of money.
Get rid of your richardson extention emlpoyees. What you pay one person you can actually hire two for the price of one.
Have the Tourist Department operate the Interstate rest stops where they can talk to tourist and let them know how welcome they are here in New Mexico. NMDoT is not in the PR business...the Tourist Department is. I think a lot more can be accomplished by having a friendly Tourist Department face at the rest stops than an advertisement in Time Square in NYC or a float in the Rose Parade.
Merlyn Nyght
Park State cars in Santa Fe and at all Rail Runner stops to Belen. Have state employees ride the Rail Runner between the cities, than get in a state car to drive to the meeting or other state offices. Would save $$$$on gas, and wear n tear on the autos, plus put the Rail Runner to better use. The Rail Runner is needed, let's make it work for the state. Plus the workers can be working while on the train. Win---win!
Union County CYFD Office does not make enough contact with clients to keep the doors open. Keeping this office open over the years has costed the tax payer several thousands of dollars a year. Keeping this office open is waste of tax payers money.
eliminate the vp's at the university of new mexico. this is a total outrageous use of power on the unm president and the regents who support these high salaries.
unm's books should be audited by a third party accounting firm.
the university has lost confidence in faculty, students and alumni for not concentration on academics vs athletics.
all programs should be evaluated to determine if they will support the number of students enrolled.
relocate the state fair grounds to the west side of abq.
relocate all state offices to the fair grounds. this would save $$$$ in lease payments and provide one central location for state govt.
establish suggestion boxes in state offices for public comment and suggestions and keep this email in effect for future ideas.
cut staffing in all areas. if vacant, evaluate positions for consolidation.
meetings can be held via teleconferencing vs travel.
if absolutely necessary that travel is required for meetings and seminars, have the participants submit in writing the topics discussed and what tips the departments could utilize in streamling operations. the participants could also make and oral presentation to all staff personnel.
human resources should perform complete and thorough back ground checks on all new hires.
provide incentives for early retirements.
establish an open door policy for all employees to see cabinet secretaries.
all employee concerns, input should be forwarded to chief of staff for evaluation and consideration.
transfer the mobile housing division to the construction industries division.
perform space planning analysis for each facility. possibility of sharing space with other departments.
rent out space for events to the private sector for approved events. could collect substantial fees.
seek out volunteers from the private sector for continuous budget input. there exists a lot of brain power that can be shared.
make it mandatory that directors, managers, cabinet secretaries meet with risk management to be informed in any of their future decisions and the effect decisions could effect the payment of suits from the risk pool.too much money is paid out for law suits.
I live in Los Lunas and the schools here seem to have all large buses and never seem to be filled why not have so smaller buses when there less students for the route ? Has someone looked at the cost comparision and the numbers of students
on each bus ?
Schools can not afford to lose teachers or support staff that work in the classroom. How about the Middle school Administration do they really need three for a school of less than a 1,000 students? Each time I visit the schools they dont seem to busy and they make much more than the teachers with less work.
I have been in Early Childhood Education for many years and built the qualtiy programs at WNMU. In the early 90's I had the opportunity to serve as a public school board member and during those times wondered why rural NM needed to fund 88 school districts. Classrooms should not be touched, schools should remain in their locations under their same names, but administration could be consolidated: one superintendent, budget manager, curriculum corordinator, transportation manager, food service manager and one school board. This is not politically popular, but I ask is it not time to redesign our public school administrative system? Here we are in tough budget times and everybody is needing to do their part. Our programs have already been cut 45% in the past 2 years, causing loss of services to 75 families. If more cuts, it will hit the community and campus in loss of jobs as wells as loss of services to children and families in Southwest NM. I have had to cut our administrative support to keep services and think that others should do the same. This is a time of 'change', a time to think out-side the box and do some strategic re-organization. We have an obligation to protect the eduation of NM's children beginning at birth with a strong foundation and continuing through our public school system. Please give this idea some consideration. Terry Anderson
Get rid of UNM's office of Enrollment Management. Students need advising, applications to the University are up and the quality of education at UNM is dropping. EM money can be better spent elsewhere.
The continuing mismanagement and lack of real leadership at UNM is driving our university into the ground. At taxpayer expense: such as a 124% increase in 'administration' under Schmidley while students are asked to pay more for less, and less, and less....
1. Cash assistance program known as TANF is unfairly administered. US citizens are only allowed 60 months but for undocumented parents they have no limit...to me that is discrimination against US citizens, this program needs revising! Reduce the amount of Hardship extensions on these programs.
2. Human Services Dept. have too many ROM's and Directors, reduce them.
3. Some State office have too many State cars, where there others that don't have any.
4. Combine State agencies in one building within all cities.
5. Get rid of cell phones
6. Get rid of NM Works contractors, there job is to help the TANF client with jobs but it is not working correctly.
7. Invest in better system for Human Services for a more efficient service to the clients.
8. Reduce all high end state jobs by 10%, this includes from Santa Fe down to School officials.
For more ideas please contact me: jtykk5@yahoo.com
The Railrunner continues to loose money, yet the state is still, at this very moment, spending money; to build carport like structures at the Belen terminal??? Why does the state continue to spend money on this white elephant?
How about this for cost cutting and reducing waste? Have standardized architectural plans for schools!!! MILLIONS are spent on architectual plans, designs, and prototypes for the plain old ordinary school. Why do we need NEW plans for each school,artists concepts, and models for something that NEDDS to be usefuland practical, NOT ARTISTICALLY BEAUTIFUL. There should be plans for each level of education and make them adjustable to suit needs and expandibility SHOULD BE PLANNED INTO EACH DESIGN!!! What IS IMPORTANT is what is going on inside, and NOT necessarily how it looks on the outside. THINK OF HOW MUCH IS WASTED IN PLANNING THE AVERAGE SCHOOL BEFORE the ground is broken!!! WHAT A WASTE!!! Lori in Las Cruces
Susane, We really need to look at OVERPAID positions AND non-existant positions that are funded because no one checks on the expenditures.
I also agree with an earlier posting concerning State vehicles being driven at excessive speeds and useless services like street sweeping in march and at times of high winds. The largest offenders of the speening situationare the LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ALL OVER THE STSTE!!!.. Just becasue you drive a STate vehicle DOES NOT MAKE YOU IMMUNE FROM HAVING OR, WORST YET, CAUSING A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT!!! Lori in Las Cruces
Save Taxpayer dollars by cutting all double dipping by state employess such as principles, hwo earn a high wage already. they should retire and give someone else a chance for a job.
Too many state online programs with too few students to support them. Since the programs are online maybe there should just be one online nursing for the state. that would save a lot of money
Thank you Gov. Martinez for standing up for us!! Please keep fighting to rid us of drivers licenses for illegals and to secure our borders!!! I hope that you will also stand with our neighbor Arizona?!? And thank you for standing strong on reinstating the death penalty!! Ideas for possibly cutting school costs by cutting back on out of city games, traveling expenses.... also, somehow help us all with the gas prices. and could you look into why commercial trucks are licensed in other states and not here, could we bring in monies by tagging trucks in NM??? Thank you again!!!
Make rail runner for all state employees (working in SF)living in Albuquerque, and charge only $1.00 a day for round trip, generating income and saving fuel
Do like Texas and have toll booths at al entries to NM, half for road maintenance and other half to pay staff to run toll booths, this will generate income for state and lots of jobs
All state empress should not make more money than governor, NO ONE!
Having lived in a rural community in the east mountains, there is a fund I used to collect that needs to be scrutinized! It was the rural travel fund paid to parents who live rurally and have to drive kids to bus stops and was paid per mile both ways and paid monthly! I used to drive my kids down a 3 mile dirt road to and from twice a day and got paid for 12 miles a day at .28 cents a mile x 20-22 days a month.... You do the math! There were parents that I knew of that really needed the extra money but others didn't and this should be based on income, ie... Under 20,000.00 get it and above not based on prior year 1040 or 1040A
In the NM department of veterans affairs there is a scholarship program I suggested mote than once to the richardson administration be changed from Vietnam veterans to desert storm desert shields veterans with no change or response so why not cut that scholarship fund or convert it to new war veterans?
NO MORE DOUBLE DIPPERS.... Either surrender your retirement to keep working or RETIRE COMPLETLY! Let's others below them progress so there is no stagnation in those deparments and you can Dave money by starting new reprehend heads at less salary!
Cap sick leave at 30 days.... Take it or lose it, no more big payouts!
Clean up the state by hiring homeless vets to pick up trash with provided bags from state garbage programs that usedto give out trash bags and pay them with hotel room vouchers from sponsoring hotel businesses who wish to participate!
All utilities should be rounded to the nearest dollar to balance books easier and bring in more revenue to the indecent funds for each utility! No one should go without heat or electricity!
Get rid of department heads that don't have departments to supervise... Richardson created jobs!
Money or valuables in the state treasures lost and found or in their unclaimed department older than 20 years should be used to pay down our debt or be used to pay for school budgets! If no one had claimed after being published in news paper as it had in the past, put it to use!
No more ridiculously expensive art work for playgrounds that get vandalized because the playground is so isolated or hidden that it cannot be monitored for vandals!
On those lines, the vandals should be used to repaint their damage themselves at their expense and we can eliminate the crew that paints over grafitty being paid by the state and can be utilized elsewhere!
Tax alcohol and cigerittes as high as you want... This will eleminate young drinkers from starting (too expensive) and and stop kids from smoking if they get so expensive they can't afford them!
On the issue of cell Phone texting or use while driving, let New Mexico be the first state to start a program to install phone scramblers in violators of new cell phone laws at their expense and allow parents to purchase and install in their childrens cars for the safety of their children an NM citizens! My research has found that they are not expensive but some laws restrict the use? Let's change the law in NM and start saving lives! Sarge, out
Consolidate prisoners, close empty prisons, use extra officers to rotate from prison to prison where needed, release non-violent criminals without monitor bracelets that dont work and cost to much by offering their release for $$ fine (standardized fine chart for each common non violent crime)! You'd be surprised how people can come up with money if it means their freedom! Sarge, out
Collect all property taxes not paid... If not collected at first notification, give property owner 30 days to pay in full if not paid then confiscate property and auction!
No gas tax for new Mexico citizens!
Double out of state hunting licences! Too many out of staters are killing our wild game!
The governor should be able to move stagnant project money from one fund to another. The idea that programed funds cannot be moved or used is ridiculous especially if that money is sitting in limbo and our state is struggling to make ends meet!
Double liquor licences applications!
Retire any state employee with any DWI's or felony conviction they acquired whole a state employee whether on duty or not!
NO MORE LAWSUITS between two state departments! Has anyone heard of mediation?
Let's use our own gas instead of relying on texas to redistribute what we sold them! Last winters gas shut off should have never happened!
State and county works department have too many employees for the Funding/jobs they have! When we see 15 people repairing a road patch and only 4 are working.... To many chiefs and not enough Workers!
Death row images should be put to death IF the took a life! We new mexicans are tired of supporting these animals and should pay the price they took from a family and the cost to house, feed, educate will end and I guarantee once we kill the first killer our state will reduce the mortality rate on new Mexico"s to criminals! ESPECIALLY CHILD KILLERS!
Have a silent auction for property in the new Mexico unclamed property department that is not Minotaur! List in news paper, give everyone in new Mexico thechance to claim, after 30 days realist unclaimed propertynon monitory and receive silent bids on each lot or item then empty the vault, collect $$$$ for state revitalization fund! Reassign vault caretaker back to state treasury department.
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