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Modest Digs for the Rich and Famous

You’ve got to love this skewed perspective from the Sunday’s Albuquerque Journal:

As executive office suites go, Gov. Bill Richardson’s Albuquerque setup is a long way from opulent. It’s closer to being a candidate for Extreme Makeover: The Office Edition.

Richardson’s office and executive bathroom take up less than 20 percent of the 5,000-square-foot state office space on the second floor of the Bank of the West building at Central and San Mateo NE.

Let’s see just under 20% would make the office in the neighborhood of just under a 1,000 square feet. To put that in perspective, it is important to note that the average size of a home in the Albuquerque market is 1,911 square feet. So, it is fair to say that the Governor’s portion of this inappropriately funded office is 50% of the size of the average Albuquerque home that provides year-round shelter for 2.4 people.

But wait, there is more:

Lopez said the remodel cost $50,000, most of which went into expanding two offices into one space for Richardson’s office and the installation of an executive bathroom.

That’s right, the $50,000 of unappropriated funds used for this remodel is just shy of double New Mexico’s per capita income of $25,541. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. To top it all off the office has museum quality artwork hanging on the walls. Yet somehow, despite all of this, the Journal believes this office is a candidate for “Extreme Makeover: The Office Edition.”

Well, I guess in defense of the Journal reporter it doesn’t seem opulent compared to the $5.5 million spent on jets or the staff of personal chefs.