The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Tom Clifford as secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration.

Gov. Susana Martinez appointed Clifford, an economist, to the cabinet-level job last August. He runs an agency that manages the state budget and other financial matters, including payroll processing and state bond programs.

The Senate voted unanimously on Friday to confirm Clifford's nomination.

He's held numerous high-level jobs in New Mexico state government and worked in Congress before coming to New Mexico in 1994.

Clifford has served as policy and research director in the Taxation and Revenue Department, chief economist for the Legislative Finance Committee and the finance department. During former Gov. Gary Johnson's administration, Clifford was deputy secretary at the finance department.




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