Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Gaming Control Board Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Gaming Control Board seeks funding for vacant positions and a $1M database; LFC recommendation adopted
Summary
The Gaming Control Board requested a larger increase than the LFC recommended to fill vacancies, upgrade computers and complete a new licensing/compliance database; the subcommittee accepted the LFC recommendation while hearing concerns about vacancy funding, a pending C2 request and out‑of‑cycle raises identified by LFC staff.
The New Mexico Gaming Control Board told the Appropriations & Finance subcommittee it needs additional recurring funding to fill staff vacancies, replace aging computers and complete a multi‑year database project; the agency sought a larger increase than the Legislative Finance Committee recommended but the subcommittee adopted LFC’s recommendation.
Acting Executive Director Terry McGaughy said the agency started fiscal year 2024 with an almost 30 percent vacancy rate, cut that substantially but remains below authorized staffing levels. McGaughy asked the committee to adopt the Department of Finance and Administration’s larger recommendation to fully fund 52 base FTE, and requested a $1,000,000 supplemental (C2) to finish a new agency database plus $80,000 for computer replacements.
DFA analyst Monica Tapia described the executive recommendation as funding the agency’s full base complement and noting contractual needs to meet the tribal–state Class III gaming compact and to maintain the central monitoring system. The agency’s CIO, Miguel Lujan, told the committee the current system dates to 1998 and “looks like Windows 95,” and said the additional $1,000,000 would allow the project to finish within calendar year 2025 without another C2 request.
LFC staff and several legislators pressed agency leadership about prior‑year reversions and personnel costs. An LFC analyst recited payroll changes and out‑of‑cycle increases in several employee records and asked for clarification; McGaughy said some adjustments were promotions or temporary increases for employees covering multiple duties. Committee leadership said it would examine those personnel questions further in follow‑up work with staff and the agency.
The subcommittee accepted the LFC recommendation by voice vote; the agency will continue to press for supplemental and database funding as the session and budget process proceed.
