“Controller Chiang took a positive step today in ensuring that California’s citizens have access to salary information for city and county employees,” said League of California Cities Executive Director Chris McKenzie.
“An active, engaged and informed citizenry can provide the best accountability of government. California’s citizens should be able to find out how much all the government workers and elected officials who work for them earn. To do that, they must have access to information. Transparency and accessibility both are essential. Toward that end, we hope the Controller will join with us and support additional reforms we proposed last week which will go much further.” McKenzie continued: “As we announced at our statewide city manager meeting last Thursday, the League is working now to develop legislation to be introduced this year which will trigger reporting requirements for not only city and county government employees, but for elected officials and highly paid employees at all state and local agencies as well. We look forward to working with Controller Chiang, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and members of the Legislature on this reform.”
In the wake of the salary abuses reported in the city of Bell, the League has taken the lead in developing reforms to ensure compensation data of all government employees is easily accessible. Disclosure and transparency of compensation should apply to state and local agencies for both elected officials and highly paid employees.
The League has also begun compiling a survey of city management salaries across the state which will be posted online on the League’s website when complete.