Gov. Susana Martinez didn't fulfill all of her campaign promises this legislative session.

She has, however, held true to her pledge to shrink the size of state government.

According to information provided by the State Personnel Office, the size of the state payroll has dropped by 498 classified employees and 99 exempt employees since Dec. 30, 2010, when former Gov. Bill Richardson left office. Of the 504 exempt employees currently on the state payroll, about 180 work directly for the governor, her office has said.

Since a November 2008 hiring freeze implemented by Richardson, the overall state payroll has dropped from 25,500 employees to 18,931.

"In recent years, state government has grown too large, and the governor has been a firm supporter of cutting waste to balance the budget, so that we could protect funding to the classroom and health care for those most in need," spokesman Scott Darnell said Friday.

A hiring freeze remains in effect, Martinez's office said, although the administration has hired new people to work for the governor, including spokesmen, Cabinet secretaries and agency directors.

The freeze doesn't mean other hiring isn't going on as well. The Martinez administration, much like the Richardson administration, has made exceptions if the hires can be justified to top officials — and if funding exists.

Job listings on the State Personnel Office's website include a fire inspector, an analyst at the Department of Transportation, a lawyer at the Public Regulation Commission and an emergency-management specialist. Other openings include a pharmacist, a janitor and a health educator.

Those who are getting work are among the lucky, as the state unemployment rate in January was 8.7 percent.

It's unclear how much the state is saving with the reduction in employees, but employee salaries was one place lawmakers looked this session to trim state spending and balance the budget.

When the issue of exempt employees caused a hubbub under Richardson, the administration at the time said letting go of 59 exempt employees would save $8.3 million. He also eliminated several hundred vacant positions.

Measures this session that took aim at the number of exempt employees fizzled after Martinez announced in her budget plan that she would reduce the number of exempts from what Richardson had by at least 20 percent. One senator who had wanted to limit the number didn't pursue a measure to do so once he saw Martinez's proposed reductions.

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

NUMBER OF N.M. STATE WORKERS

As of Dec. 30, 2010:

18,925 classified

603 exempt

19,528 total

As of March 4:

18,427 classified

504 exempt*

18,931 total

*Gov. Susana Martinez's office has said about 180 exempt employees are under the control of the governor. Other elected officials have exempt employees as well. The numbers of workers listed include temporary employees and workers hired for a short time to work on specific projects.

SOURCE: STATE PERSONNEL OFFICE