Public Pay Rises Despite Recession

August 31st, 2010, 4:12 pm
by Teri Sforza, Register staff writer

"In the five years between 2002 and 2007, the number of full-time equivalent employees in all state and local governments in California grew just three percent, while the cost of paying those folks grew 26 percent."

What is more amazing are the special districts like water and sanitation districts.

"How this breaks down may tell us something interesting about this government transparency thing. Stay with us here!

• State government, alone (a rather closely-watched entity), saw employees rise 2 percent, and payroll rise 23 percent, between 2002 and 2007.
• Local government, alone (less closely-watched?), saw employees rise 4 percent and payroll rise 27 percent.
• School districts, alone (a mixed-bag on how well they’re watched), also saw employees rise 3 percent and payroll rise 27 percent.
• But special districts, alone (perhaps the most unwatched governments of all), saw employees rise 14 percent, and payroll rise 40 percent."

And who runs these districts?  We, the People, though indirectly.  Often, our local city council members are appointed by their respective councils to represent their city's interests in a particular district.  It is convenient for these representatives (elected by us and appointed by fellow council members) to raise taxes disguised as fees to cover the costs of rising pensions, executive board per diem, cost of living adjustments, insurance premiums, and environmental mitigation.  These are all controlled by local districts except certain environmental requirements.  Our local elected representatives are completely responsible for the "passing along rate hikes".  They are the ones who we elect to represent our interests.  They are supposed to fight to keep rates low.  But do they?  No!  They continually raise taxes and push it off onto the end user, you and me, and call them fees.  And ultimately, when questioned, they say "we just got to recover our costs." 

Please remember that your vote in November will have a far reaching impact on your taxes, personal income, local businesses, and how your community is represented.  Think before you vote.