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Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Governor's Private Chefs Are Toast
Clear out the kitchen — there's a new cook in town.
Gov. Susana Martinez said Tuesday that she plans to fire two chefs on staff at the Governor's Mansion in Santa Fe.
Instead, Martinez and her husband plan to do most of their own cooking, with some help from a short-order cook who will be kept on staff, a Martinez spokesman said. The elimination of the two positions, combined with a pay cut for the Governor's Mansion manager, will save the state nearly $180,000.
"Tax dollars should not be wasted on a stable of chefs at the governor's residence," Martinez said in a statement. "This is a prime example of wasteful spending that exists in state government."
Martinez, a Republican, took office Jan. 1. She and her husband, Chuck Franco, have begun moving into the Governor's Mansion and have already spent their first night in the historic residence, according to a Martinez spokesman.
— Dan Boyd
SPELL CHECK: No doubt it takes a little while to get accustomed to a new governor and a new administration. But shouldn't you start with the basics?
A news release on Tuesday morning from the state Department of Transportation had Gov. Susana Martinez's first name spelled wrong. Way wrong.
"Suzanna Martinez, Governor" was the heading on the traffic advisory about detours on U.S. 84/285 in the Pojoaque area, north of Santa Fe.
A corrected version was issued seven hours later.
— Deborah Baker
APPOINTMENT: Newly sworn-in Secretary of State Dianna Duran has named former Workforce Solutions Secretary Ken Ortiz, previously an appointee of Gov. Bill Richardson, as her chief of staff, she said Tuesday.
Ortiz, who led the Department of Workforce Solutions for more than one year, also previously served as director of the state Motor Vehicles Division under the Richardson administration.
Duran is New Mexico's first Republican elected to be secretary of state in 80 years. She defeated incumbent Democrat Mary Herrera in the November general election and took office Jan. 1.
Duran has yet to name a Bureau of Elections director, although she said Tuesday that she and her staff have been interviewing candidates for the position.
With the start of the legislative session looming in less than two weeks, that appointment might not be too urgent — the next statewide election won't occur until June 2012.
— Dan Boyd
Dan Boyd and Deborah Baker are reporters at the Journal's Capitol bureau in Santa Fe. Boyd can be reached at dboyd@abqjournal.com, and Baker can be reached at dbaker@abqjournal.com.
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