ALBUQUERQUE
Two New Mexico universities are helping foot the bill of
Gov. Bill Richardson appointees, and the arrangement has some concerned about
potential conflicts of interest.
The University of New
Mexico will pay nearly $100,000 a year toward
Higher Education Secretary Reed Dasenbrock’s $257,250 salary and $60,000 a year
toward Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil’s $175,000 salary.
New Mexico State
University, meanwhile, is paying
William Flores his $220,000 provost salary while he serves as deputy secretary
of higher education
Sen. Kent Cravens, R-Albuquerque, expressed skepticism about
the arrangement in a copyright story in Thursday’s Albuquerque Journal.
“There’s no question that in order to attract qualified
people, you have to pony up,” Cravens said. “But putting it in a
situation where one institution might have a political advantage over another
seems like a stretch. I’m not sure I’m conformable with it.”
A spokesman for Richardson, Allan Oliver, said the governor
doesn’t see a conflict of interest.
