Richard May is DFA pick

Gov.-elect Susana Martinez has nominated Richard E. May to serve as her secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration.

Here's the rundown on his experience, from the Martinez camp:

"May has led a respected and accomplished career that includes working for Sandia National Laboratories as a manager, serving as chief appropriations and tax analyst for the Republican caucus in the New Mexico House of Representatives, and operating as a policy director for Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP, as well as a principal at Davidson & Company, Inc. Prior to that, May served as majority staff director and Republican staff director in the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Budget, a federal affairs counsel at the National Conference of State Legislatures, and legislative director for Congressman John R. Kasich."

May's work is cut out for him, no doubt, given the now $450 million budget shortfall. Martinez said in a statement that May will help make "the tough decisions."

"The failure of state government to live within its means is inexcusable and it’s time we make the tough decisions necessary to finally put our fiscal house in order," she said. "In doing so, we must be mindful that the long-term solution to our budget crisis is economic growth and that is why we must balance the budget by cutting spending, rather than raising taxes, so we can create an environment where small businesses can grow and create jobs. I am committed to working with members of both parties in the legislature to accomplish this goal – the people of New Mexico deserve no less.”

Martinez said May will "help restore fiscal discipline by instituting zero growth budgets, identifying waste, fraud and abuse, and creating greater efficiencies by doing more with less." He is to set to work immediately, reviewing the budget, Martinez said.