The state budget crisis is like that old joke about the weather — everybody complains about it but nobody ever does anything about it.

Well, the state legislature has to do something about it because — unlike the federal government that can print more money and/or push the deficits off for another year — state governments actually have to balance their budgets to keep their fiscal heads above water.

Capitol Report New Mexico sent a letter to a dozen of the state’s most high-profile legislators, asking them for specific plans on how to either raise revenue or cut costs in face of the state’s deficit.

Three have responded. We’ve heard from Sen. John Arthur Smith (D-Deming) who suggested streamlining environmental rules to help the state’s copper industry, Rep. Keith Gardner (R-Chaves, Eddy, Lea, Roosevelt) who called for the elimination of redundant testing in public schools and today, we spoke to Sen. Tim Keller (D-Bernanlillo) who gets brownie points because he came up with not just one, but six specific ideas.

The proposal with the biggest bang for the buck comes from getting the state to switch from negotiated bids on state contracts to open, competitive bids. “Basically, now we negotiate a contract with our major health providers (Optimum, Molina, etc.) and because we don’t force firms to bid against each other we lose margin,” Keller wrote in an e-mail. “Estimates vary, but you could save something like 5-10 percent by going open bid. [S]ince our contracts are roughly $2.5 billion that means $250 million annually, [which] would double your savings figure in one move!”

Here’s Keller with more:

Here are Keller’s five other specific ideas:

1. Focus on real solutions instead of budgetary gimmicks — which has been done in the past to avoid tough decisions. This would include no short term plugs, non-reoccurring funding fixes (i.e., fancy financing, robbing funds, delaying maintenance, switching around completion dates to next fiscal year etc).

2. Make some government departments “profit centers” like most companies do. In concept, the governor requires departments to get a positive return on investment for budget dollars so they become “self funding.” For example the departments of tourism, economic development and cultural affairs should each bring in more money (in incremental tax dollars and fees) than they cost. This could also apply with licensing and regulations. Some government services are meant to cost money (health, education, etc.) but some are supposed to create jobs which should bring extra tax revenue so they pay for themselves. “This is a corporate idea that should have GOP cross-over appeal,” Keller says.

3. In terms of cutting fat in the area of state personnel, Keller sees the biggest abuse among non-exempt (or politically appointed) employees comes from “internal lobbyists” (legislative affairs people) and from the large number of public information officers (PIOs) in various divisions. “We don’t need 70-plus PIOs,” Keller says.

4. Reduce the state’s fleet of cars. “I think most state employees who have state cars would rather just have a per-diem reimbursement for their own vehicle,” Keller says, adding that by simply having employees drive their own cars it would save the state costs on maintenance and repair. Keller also suggests requiring that all state vehicles be hybrids, which could reduce fuel consumption by 50 percent.

5. Cut low outcome small programming funding. In English, this means targeting the estimated $500 million dollars in the state budget that goes to small programs that were approved back in the good old days when the state was flush with cash. Many of these programs are $75,000 per year contracts using only two or three people. Keller acknowledges that some of these programs are worth keeping, but many are “are not held accountable and no one but the administrating non-profit would notice if they disappeared.”

A leaner, more efficient state government. What a concept:

Or maybe the entire state could save up to 15 percent or more by switching to GEICO.