Why are we still paying for Public Information Officers?

I remember reading, though I cannot remember where,
New Mexicans are paying $17,000,000.00 a year for
Public Information Officers.

If anyone has a more accurate number, I will be happy to amend
this post. I could look it up, but it would be harder to do than it
should be and take too long as well. The exact figure is not critical to the argument.

You would think from the name "public information officer",
their job would be to give information to the public.

The only limit on the amount of information they would give
to the public is, ethical redaction; the truth redacted by
due process, and by due process alone.

The actual information that PIO's give to the public is,
everything that makes their boss look good, and nothing that
makes them look bad. NMPED Secretary Veronica Garcia
needs two.

Their job is to not tell the (whole) truth.
I did not say their job is, to lie. There is a difference.

Their job is to "spin" the truth toward a single end;
to make their boss(es) look good.

Under these circumstances, shouldn't PIO salaries be paid
by the individuals who benefit directly from their services,
and not by taxpayers, arguably damaged in the process?

There should be one PIO for the whole state, with
however many underlings it takes to do the job.

The job would be to answer every legitimate question
put to them and, rather immediately.

311, on steroids.