State government office space has expanded by 6 percent in the past four years while the number of state workers had dropped by 14 percent, according to a legislative audit critical of the management of buildings owned and leased by the state.
It’s costing New Mexico taxpayers $47 million a year for the state to lease office space, and a Legislative Finance Committee audit report Wednesday recommends more consolidation in the use of government buildings.
The audit lauded the Property Control Division in the General Services Department for saving $1.2 million on leases in the past year but said more should be done to trim costs by consolidating workers in government-owned buildings and ending leases.
Auditors visited 18 state buildings and found 251 vacant offices and work stations.
“Agencies hold surplus space with the expectation to fill vacancies, but incur lease and operating costs for the empty space,” the report said...
Story from The Albuquerque Journal
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