The Governor's Office refuses to identify the 59 exempt state employees whose jobs will be eliminated early next year.

In addition to rejecting informal requests for the information, the governor's staff brushed off a formal request under the state's Inspection of Public Records Act.

Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos did not cite a legal reason for withholding the names. He said "it is not necessary, nor is it appropriate or dignified, to identify individuals who are losing their jobs."

The New Mexican in early December asked for "any or all correspondence, including but not limited to e-mails and traditional mail, written memos or other communication, to or from anyone in your office related to the 59 people who were notified this week they are being laid off."

In a response to that request Wednesday, the Governor's Office provided 65 pages of e-mails between the Governor's Office and various reporters who sought information about which political hires were being dropped from the public payroll. Included in the response were copies of news releases previously sent to reporters about the layoffs.

No other correspondence related to the layoffs was provided.

Sarah Welsh, executive director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, said there's no doubt the information is public.

"It's just amazing that they would put out a press release and refuse to answer the obvious questions," she said.

"It's hard to imagine they didn't write this down somewhere," Welsh said. "Did they memorize the 59 names and then call them?"

Gallegos said the Governor's Office didn't withhold any documents or records related to the matter.

He said Cabinet secretaries helped decide which positions would be eliminated under the layoff plan. Exempt employees serve at the pleasure of the governor, who significantly increased their number after taking office.

The layoffs will cut $8.3 million from the state's payroll, part of an effort to deal with the state's financial crisis.

Richardson cut the jobs after he vetoed a Legislature-approved measure that would have required him to eliminate 102 exempt positions from the payroll.

Some information has leaked out. Bruce Kohl, head of the Securities Division at the Regulation and Licensing Department, has confirmed that he is losing his job. Channel 13 has reported that former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron also is among those who have been laid off, but she declined to talk about that when contacted last week by The New Mexican.

Other agencies said to be affected are the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Cultural Affairs.

In another move to help deal with the budget shortfall, the State Personnel Board on Wednesday approved a plan to furlough many state employees for five days before June of next year.

Contact Kate Nash at 986-3036 or knash@sfnewmexican.com. Read her blog at www.greenchilechatter.com.