Read My Lips. "No New State Jobs"

With less than two months left in his final term as governor, Gov Bill Richardson announced this afternoon that no agency under his control will be allowed to hire employees for the rest of the year. Gov. Elect Susana Martinez takes office Jan. 1.

Yesterday my colleague Kate Nash reported that despite the "hiring freeze" of the past two years, some agencies still are hiring.  Her story is HERE. And I've heard rumblings that other similar stories might soon be breaking.

Here's the news release: from the gov.:

Gov. Bill Richardson announced today that he is suspending all Executive Branch hiring for the remainder of the year.

Governor Richardson is suspending all hiring during the transition.

“We took decisive action two years ago to severely restrict hiring, which has shrunk state government by more than 2,000 employees and saved tens of millions of dollars,” Governor Richardson said. “However, in an effort to work with Governor-Elect, I am suspending all hiring during the transition.”

Governor Richardson created a more restrictive hiring process in fall 2009 at the start of the economic recession. The Governor took away the ability of state agencies to hire new employees without justification. Agency heads during the past two years have been required to justify a critical need and get approval from the State Personnel Office and the Department of Finance & Administration for each new hire.

From now on, Executive Branch agencies will not be allowed to hire new employees.