State Auditor Hector Balderas Responds to Gov. Richardson's Veto of Audit Fund Transfer

State Auditor Hector Balderas just issued a statement praising the decision by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson to veto the transfer of funds out of the audit department:

“I want to commend Governor Richardson’s veto of the $500,000 transfer from the Audit Fund. In these tough economic times, it’s critical that every effort is made to protect New Mexico taxpayer dollars from financial fraud, waste, and abuse. This past March, the legislature cut my agency's general fund appropriation by 14%, more than most agencies. This substantial budget decrease, combined with the Audit Fund transfer and additional 4% cut made to my office during the Special Session, would severely impact our ability to protect New Mexicans. I appreciate Governor Richardson's recognition that the Audit Fund transfer would put my agency at-risk to regulate government agencies.

"We all must make sacrifices to help balance the budget, but it must be done in a fair and judicious manner with the best interest of the taxpayer in mind. I will continue to aggressively fight to not only protect my agency from further cuts, but to also ensure that every measure and agency resource is used to make governmental agencies accountable.”