When times are tough and the challenges great, real leaders sometimes step forward and rise to the occasion with bold steps that bring people together.
This is such a time in the history of Los Angeles, a time that cries out for a great and courageous leader. Yet, it’s business as usual at City Hall with more back room deals and a greater disparity between the public and private stories than ever.
Commissioners and bureaucrats are brow-beaten into obedience by an increasingly desperate administration. The City Council is rudderless and confused, lacking the talent and integrity to fill the void.
As the public wakes up to the dangers that confront their hopes for a better future, the leaking political machine that rules the city offers small tokens to appease the anger.
Controller Wendy Greuel took a baby step — not a giant leap forward — on Monday by announcing she will post online in a searchable database the jobs and salaries of all city employees, well almost all.
“By this time, I am sure you are all aware of the recent controversy in the City of Bell where the City Manager, City staff and Councilmembers were paid exorbitant salaries with little to no public accountability,” she wrote the mayor, Council and all department heads.
“In light of these developments and heightened public interest, I am taking steps to ensure openness and transparency in our own City salary system…During these tough economic times, I take my responsibility as the City’s chief financial watchdog very seriously, putting a high priority on ensuring that our finances and payroll are properly managed and reported.”
There’s one big problem with Greuel’s commitment to open and transparent government: No names, which makes the list almost meaningless.
Several years ago, the Daily News did put the full list of city employees, their salaries, names and positions in a now outdated searchable database.
The DWP did its best to keep from turning over the list and its union, the IBEW, organized a campaign of phone calls threatening lawsuits because disclosure would endanger lives and people who cheat on spousal support would be exposed.
It was ridiculous but California law requiring full disclosure prevailed without the sky falling in.
Yet Greuel is omitting the names out of concern for the safety of employees who have
had threats made against them, as well as those who work in sensitive
positions such as jobs within the Los Angeles Police Department. DWP employees are also exempt because the utility has its own payroll system outside the control and scrutiny of Greuel’s office.
“We wanted to get the information up as quickly as possible so that the public could see without compromising any security concerns, and posting city positions and salaries is the best way to do that,” Greuel aide Ben Golombek said.
This isn’t good enough.
Greuel should show courage and go all the way and not just post salary levels but all overtime and bonuses as well with updates at least annually if not more often.
The mayor and the DWP Board of Commissioners should follow suit immediately.
Semi-open and semi-transparent have no more meaning than being a little bit pregnant. City Hall will either open up all its records to the public or remain a closed system protecting itself from public knowledge and scrutiny. Halfway measures do not serve the public interest..
I want her to post the salaries and perq’s for everyone on the non-profit gravy train that runs on our tax dollars.
How much are we paying “ex” gang members for the valuable “stress reduction” services they allegedly provide?
I assume she won’t, so I’m starting my own Do-It-Yourself Audit with a public records request: http://bit.ly/9d8qNu
Let’s help Greuel by providing at least one name and position:
William Imperial, Telecommunications Regulatory Officer, Information Technology Agency (ITA).
The referenced “Daily News” list noted that Mr. Imperial made about $120,000 (plus benefits).
Despite this salary and the fact that the City receives approximately (probably far more than) $20 million ANNUALLY in cable television franchise fees (and has received these amounts for the past several years), ITA informs City residents on ITA’s website:
“Effective July 1, 2009 and as a result of budgetary cuts, the Information Technology Agency will no longer be able to process or handle complaints or inquiries regarding the services provided by the City’s cable and video TV operators to City residents.
Until further notice please direct all complaints and inquiries to your cable TV provider.”
City residents may want to direct the following questions to Imperial’s boss, Mark Wolf or Wolf’s boss, ITA General Manager Randi Levin:
(1) What benefits do City residents derive from the salary paid to Imperial?
(2) What benefits do City residents derive from the $20+ million in cable television franchise fees the City receives ANNUALLY?
If one wants to read more about William Imperial, one can go to the California Bar’s website, which describes how Imperial resigned from the Bar with charges pending, after being repeatedly disciplined by the Bar:
http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=98400
This is so typical of the pixie – just gloss over the real stuff, but keep enough for those good sound bytes and campaign literature when she runs for the Mayor’s office.
Greuel/Mayor is an oxymoron
Here we go again. Wendy jumping on the bandwagon and beating up the defenseless, public servants. A few bad apples and the ambitious politicians are going for the ride of political exploitation. She thinks a day`s headline will get her to the Mayor`s mansion. I got news for her and heralike.The voters next time will vote for someone with brains, not another charlatan.
This current action by LACK of CONTROL Wendy Greuel confirms her LACK of LEADERSHIP as it takes an LA Times article for the LACK of CONTROL Greuel to spark an idea to publish city salaries. It’s a SAD day for democracy!
The Lack of Control Wendy Greuel should audit the DWP for their abuses which causes DWP overcharging the rate payers.
$24 million allocated toward gang prevention/intervention for non profit organizations, which retired L.A. County Sergeant Valdemar, gang specialist, says it will NOT WORK and ASSISTS gang members in furthering their organized crime.
July 27th, 2010
Overall, I believe Gang Reduction and Youth Development is on the right path and has laid a solid foundation for the future,” said City Controller Greuel. However, it’s UNACCEPTABLE that a year later GRYD and it’s contractor have wasted $525,000 in taxpayer funds and have yet to complete an evaluation of GRYD’s effectiveness.
http://controller.lacity.org/stellent/groups/electedofficials/@ctrcontributor/documents/contributorwebcontent/lacityp010936.pdf
$24 million allocated toward gang prevention/intervention for non profit organizations, which retired L.A. County Sergeant Valdemar, gang specialist, says it will NOT WORK and ASSISTS gang members in furthering their organized crime.
July 27th, 2010
Overall, I believe Gang Reduction and Youth Development is on the right path and has laid a solid foundation for the future,” said City Controller Greuel. However, it’s UNACCEPTABLE that a year later GRYD and it’s contractor have wasted $525,000 in taxpayer funds and have yet to complete an evaluation of GRYD’s effectiveness.
http://controller.lacity.org
The $525,000 for the study is the tip of the tip of the iceberg. It’s the millions doled out to the “non-profits” for which I want an accounting.
And what’s the point of posting names? Seriously
If you really want the city to publish an interesting statistic, ask Gruel to include the employee residence zip code next to the name – you will find approximately 85% of full time employees do not live in the city.
Those that do are ridiculed by those that don’t. Can you imagine the smug comments everytime a LA resident co worker receives a fee increase for water , trash, etc.
Most city employees come in to the city to collect their paycheck, they are oblivious to what is happening in this city. Most are hourly, yet there is no time clock.
Common Greuel for Mayor?
Eric Garcetti is the one who has over 8 years of direct leadership in the City with over 4 years leading the City Council. He was Rhodes Scholar, a teacher (who can help our children), and a gentleman.
I’m a city worker and I don’t see the point in publishing the names as they are not as important as the current position and salary. I don’t care about the name of the heads of the DWP as much as I do about how much they are paid and what their job descriptions are. Are they doing what they’re paid to do? The City phone directory, from the City’s website, lists the top honchos for the Departments. The rest of the information may be traceable or may be obtainable by just calling the department heads. People who work for the city can be moved around at any time for almost any reason, as long as the Department can show a need. The most important information may not be handed to you, but you may be able to dig and find it.
What I think we’d all like to know is a complete list of all existing city positions, vacant or occupied, their respective job descriptions and their current salaries.
And how many contractors the City has and whether or not they owe the City any money and if so, how much?
The only reason to post the names is to harass and demonize City employees. If it’s just financial accountability, then the salaries and positions are sufficient. In this era of identity theft and lynch mob mentality, publishing names and zip codes as suggested in these comments is dangerous.
City employees are NOT public figures. We did not receive jobs through election, appointment, or patronage. Everyone in the Civil Service System had to go through some type of independently scored oral or written test before they even get to an interview. Do you truly believe the name, salary, city of residence, etc. of EVERY civil servant working for cities, counties, states, federal government should ALL be public information? Seriously?
If two Clerk Typists work for the Bureau of Sanitation with one making $36,000 and the other making $40,000, how does knowing their names are Jane Smith and Joe Blow help in determining financial relevance? Will you also demand the names, salaries, & bonuses of every Contractor or consultant hired by the City?
Taxpayer funds also pay for vehicles and fuel. Must we see the names of employees and shareholders, their salaries/dividends, and bonuses of auto workers and oil companies? It’s doubtful anyone is demanding any accounting for those taxpayer expenditures. As usual, this is just another excuse for people to bash City employees.
Wendy Greuel’s proposal ignores the issue of a public employee’s salary vs. how much he or she is actually paid once overtime, education bonuses, etc., are factored in. A more transparent list would be one that includes both figures. I’d bet that there’s not an employee on the city payroll who isn’t boosting their base salary.