Nearly 60 state employees will be out of work starting Jan. 8 under a plan to reduce the number of political appointees.

The move will save $8.3 million, Gov. Bill Richardson's office said.

But that's about all the office is saying. It won't release names or titles of the 59 people whose positions will be eliminated come Jan. 8.

"While the governor has worked hard to cut spending with minimum impact to state employees, the reality is that we have to trim the number of exempt employees," Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said in a statement. "We value and appreciate the public service these employees provided to the state of New Mexico."

The step comes after Richardson vetoed a Legislature-approved measure to cut 102 exempt positions from the payroll. He said he would eliminate at least 84.

At the same time, most classified employees will have to take five days of unpaid leave to help trim the payroll.

One employee who got a pink slip said his job probably isn't the kind the Legislature intended to eliminate.

Bruce Kohl, head of the Securities Division at the Regulation and Licensing Department, said he's a recognized expert in his field who has put in 15 years at the division under several governors.

"I think they intended to get rid of political deadwood, not the technical professionals needed to run state government," he said.

"I think the public has the perception that exempts are a bunch of political hacks who can't be touched, but there are some very good people who serve as exempt employees," he said.

Kohl, an attorney, worried more about what's next for the division than his own future. Among other things, the division brings securities fraud cases.

He said he would hate to lose what he's accomplished there, including an increased number of criminal cases and investor education seminars.

Sen. Tim Keller, D-Albuquerque, agreed this isn't the time to weaken securities oversight.

"Now is certainly a time when his position should be a high priority," he said. "I really have no idea what the logic could be to eliminate a position like this."

Keller said the Senate is likely to revisit the issue of exempts on the payroll when it again deals with budget problems.

Richardson's office said the move brings the total of vacant exempt positions to 106, or 20 percent of the exempt positions controlled by the governor. That 106 includes the 59 layoffs and 47 previous vacancies, Gallegos said.

And he said that with the layoffs, there are almost 3,000 fewer state employees than a year ago.

Although a hiring freeze was established, the state has made exceptions for new hires, including at least 41 exempt spots.

The laid-off employees are not entitled to any severance pay but will be able to apply for unemployment benefits from the state. Their rate of benefits will be determined on an individual basis.

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