In wake of Bell salary scandal, state controller to require that cities disclose pay in financial reports

In the continuing fallout from the Bell salary scandal, State Controller John Chiang announced Tuesday that he would overhaul city financial reporting requirements to require that salary information for elected officials and other employees be clearly stated. The information would be posted on his office’s website beginning in November, he said.

The action comes as a Times analysis found that Bell’s reports to the state in recent years have shown that costs for its legislative activities, including City Council salaries, declined sharply since 2005, at a time when overall council compensation rose to nearly $100,000 for part-time work.

“The absence of transparency is a breeding ground for waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars,” said Chiang, who is running for re-election. “A single website with accessible information will make sure that excessive pay is no longer able to escape public scrutiny and accountability.”

The new requirements follow reports by The Times that Bell spent $1.6 million annually on just three city employees, including nearly $800,000 on the city manager. Council members drew pay for serving on multiple city panels, some of which met at the same time or for as little a minute.

Under current law, local governments must transmit summary information about their revenues and expenditures to the state, which goes into reports the controller prepares for the Legislature and posts on the internet. Payroll information is included in total amounts spent on various government functions, such as police, but not itemized separately.

The new rules, which Chiang said would be issued in the coming weeks, will require compensation figures for each category of local official, including council members and city managers.

“We have to make sure people aren’t moving categories or hiding what they are being paid,” Chiang said in an interview. “We want to put it in a format people understand.” Bell reported a total of just $34,483 in spending for its legislative activity in 2007-08, far below the total of council compensation alone.

The apparent disparity is "obviously a question that needs an answer," Chiang said.

-- Rich Connell     

Investigating Bell: A Times special report:

Is a city manager worth $800,000?

In depth: High salaries in Bell

Interactive: How the salaries got so high

Interactive: Paying too much? How property taxes compare

Video: Why do Bell officials make so much money?

Photos: Protests in Bell

Comments

[jumberto]

"It's obviously a question that needs to be answered" is perhaps the understatement of the year.

[Jorge]

How about implementing a type of Sarbanes–Oxley for public/state/university officials and if they distort figures as the City of Bell has done...it would be punishable for crime and those would be held accountable.

[CornerJ]

Posting the salary tables for government officials is a good start, but unfortunately, it's not enough to tell the entire story of how cleverly the public is being fleeced by greedy officials. The fact is that many officials double and triple dip by "acting in the capacity of" additional job classifications beyond the one for which they are hired. In addition, they may have special compensation provisions, such as: loans for a home, provided car, special expenses, overtime, etc.

The REAL story provided by such details would shock the average taxpaying citizen. And I can guarantee you that those officials who make use of such clever tactics will fight mightily to avoid revealing them. Citizens need to demand such information ASAP. They are being fleeced in stealth mode right now.

[Anthony Scott]

As a loyal subscriber to the (still relevant) hard copy L.A. Times, I just want to thank you for the wonderful job on exposing the exorbitant Bell salaries. If there was ever a need for the citizenry to be reminded of the advocate roll that the legitimate press still plays in our lives, that time is now. Well done!

[Dan]

Controller calls for city officials' pay to be posted on Web? That's a good start.

[M.S.Carol]

If you think Bell is bad you should check out it's neighbor: Cudahy!
http://www.laweekly.com/2007-02-22/news/the-town-the-law-forgot/

[Logic and Reason]

The platform fir this reporting already exists. Cities and counties are required to file an annual statement with the State of California. It would quite easy to add a section on city management and elected officials positions compensation, and in a common format. It will be a surprise to some. It is important to separate the types of cities. The major cities like Los Angeles have full-time elected officials while most of California's 540+ cities , Bell included, have part-time citizens that act as policy makers for the city management team which carries out their direction. Some make a minor, say $800 per month, stipend, probably not unreasonable and is less than $10,000 per year per council member. This covers many costs not reimbursable. Most cities have provisions that allow the elected officials to get retirement and medical benefits, these can be very costly, especially if the elected officials does not have coverage through their regular employment. Quite frankly, for many council members, this is the main reason they run for office, or city treasurer or city clerk. report it, sure, why not. That way the citizens of each city can decide what they wish to support. management of a city is not as easy as you might think, and a reasonable salary for the staff is a good idea, but the marketplace does not need $800,000 per year managers.

[Jonathan]

I like John Chiang's new requirement for the city but I still won't vote for him.

[troy]

The LA Times should get a Pulitzer for the whole Bell story.

[pasadena jag]

Let's see what all these statewide crooks are making.

[Nero's Fiddle]

I understand the intent, but this is a bad idea. There are other ways to monitor this in the public sphere without invading this rather personal thing.

[Michael]

The LA Times should get a Pulitzer for the whole Bell "story."

Give me a break. This was not investigative reporting!

[timber]

Who is getting paid and not doing their job? State Controller probably getting paid to look the other way. Everyone wants to get paid.

[Manuel Alderete]

What about "reimbursements"? Post those, also.

We have seen how "reimbursements" are a sneaky way to make an extra $200,000.

[Mark Edison]

Has anyone checked the salaries of Southern California Edison?

[timber]

Why did you not post my comment?

[sethook]

Shouldn't John Chiang have closed the barn door earlier? Now is not the time to puff out your chest and play big man. Big time managers should be forward thinking not just managing the day to day operations. Too bad John's foresight didn't match his hindsight on this issue.

[ET Snell]

Why whenever the poop hits the fan some elected official trys to political posture to keep the apperance that everything os ok know. Lets talk about Dirty Dave Dermerjian the DA'S public integrity unit. This slizzo Rizzo has left a trail of corruption since 1991 since he committed land theft with the Golden Triangle where he took a area in Hesperia and the taxes went from $90 pr year to $120,000. People lost there property some where never allowed a trial. Look at 70 yr old Attorney Fine who took on the illeggal payments to judges 18 months in jail without bail or a trial. Rizzo is like so many others in the political arena that need to be in prison. The best solution is to RECALL RECALL RECALL. Throw all the bumbs out.

Sincerely
ET Snell
Clown Community Activist
www,recallscalifornia.com

[Carlos]

SHOCKER

Bell is indicative of most of California. An electorate that is not educated.
The Greeks established the principle of the polis, a democracy, requires
people to be actively invloved and makign educated decisions. Bell citizens are neither active nor educated. Yes, basically democrats.

Stupid is as stupid does.

The future for California does not look bright as we keep flooding America with illiterate, unskilled, uneducated illegal aliens.