The New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee recently announced that it has selected Charles Sallee to be the new budget director, a committee release said. Various members of the Legislative Finance Committee voiced their support for Sallee as the choice for budget director.
"I am very optimistic about the future of the LFC with Charles leading the staff," said Rep. Jack Chatfield (R-Mosquero). "Charles has been a faithful servant to the people of New Mexico during his 18 years with the committee. His budget experience will benefit the legislature and the people of this state for years to come."
Sallee replaces David Abbey, who was budget director for 26 years, the committee release said. Sallee has been the acting director since Abbey’s retirement. In a pool of 13 applicants, Sallee was unanimously selected to officially succeed him.
Ranking Member Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena) voiced her support for Sallee’s selection, stating that she believes he will be nonpartisan and fiscally responsible, the release said.
In the same press release, State Rep. Brian Baca (R- Los Lunas) said he supports the choice of Sallee, which the Legislative Finance Committee “did not take lightly” as it faces several challenges with balancing New Mexico’s $10 billion state budget.
Sallee is a long-time resident of New Mexico who started working with the Legislative Finance Committee in 2005 as a program evaluator and manager before being promoted to deputy director in 2010, the Santa Fe New Mexican said. Before working with the Legislative Finance Committee, Sallee was a social worker in Las Cruces and worked in the Texas legislature. He has a bachelor’s degree in social work from New Mexico State University and a master’s degree from Texas State University, the newspaper said.
Before being appointed director, Sallee went through an hour-long public interview process. He faced questions from both lawmakers and the public, including many about LFC transparency.
The New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee is meant to be a nonpartisan agency that handles New Mexico’s state budget and does research on fiscal policy, according to Ballotpedia.