NEW MEXICO HAS AN ACCOUNTING PROBLEM: ITS CHECKBOOK ISN'T BALANCED. STATE AUDITOR TIM KELLER TELLS 770 KKOB THE ISSUE GOES BACK SEVERAL YEARS WHEN THE STATE STARTED USING NEW ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE, AND NOT ALL THE FUNDS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. HE SAYS THE STATE HASN'T FACED THE PROBLEM FOR YEARS NOW, AND THERE'S BROAD AGREEMENT NOW THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THIS.
KELLER SAYS THE STATE WILL HAVE TO WRITE OFF ABOUT 100-MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR…BUT THE TOTAL FIGURE COULD BE OVER 400-MILLION. HE SAYS THAT'S MONEY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR OTHER THINGS LIKE NEW ROADS AND SCHOOLS.
