Seeing red over the “Blue Book”

From Capitol Report New Mexico - It’s been a staple of journalists, lawmakers, teachers and just about anybody else interested in the New Mexico legislature and history. It’s simply called “The New Mexico Blue Book” and has been published since 1917. And now, even the humble “Blue Book” has become a cause for political controversy. Even though there is barely a month left in the terms of numerous state office-holders, outgoing Secretary of State Mary Herrera’s office is coming out with the 2010 version of the Blue Book in the coming weeks. Herrera says her office reduced the cost of publishing the 2010 version of Blue Book from about $75,000 to $44,000 by printing 5,000 rather than 15,000 copies. But at a time of severe budget problems, Rep. Larry Larrañaga (R-Bernalillo) criticized Herrera on KRQE-TV Monday night, saying:
“I’m dismayed that the secretary of state would take that action at the very close of her administration when we could be looking at saving money and helping the next administration. It’s not a book that people are holding their breath to read as it comes out.” Read more

Seeing red over the “Blue Book”