As I sat in the city council chambers watching the appeal
of Council member Friedman for funds to attend official functions to
which she is invited, I watched in amazement at the
disparity in income that permeates the council dais. I added up mentally the annual salaries and
benefits of the city manager, the assistant city manager, the city attorney,
the public works director, the director of planning and came close to a million
dollars in combined compensation. These
officials actually seemed to me smug in their knowledge of how much they are
the ones truly in control of the city budget.
Those of us who know the activities of the council
members, know that they are much more than an 8-hour per week job. I sometimes wonder if councilmen would be
willing to receive a real salary in exchange for putting a lid on the runaway
city budget. While city employees
payroll expenses has increased by 50% since the 2000 budget year, the city
total budget has increased by over 100%.
Whatever the cost these official meetings may be, they are but a drop in the
bucket in an 800 million dollar city budget. Let’s offer a performance bonus to the city
council members if they can keep the city budget growth at or below the rate of
inflation. My suggestion is a bonus of
$150,000 to each council member when the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
(CAFR)
is completed and confirms their fiscal restraint. Councilmen can then deduct trips and expenses
on their 1040 Schedule A. Let's put real
accountability into their oversight of city management.
Until that day arrives, all council members should pool their excess campaign
funds and list the official functions to which that money could be spent. Case solved and the campaign funding ordinance
can remain intact.
Herbert Molano
Supporting data:
Partial history of the total city budget appropriations
1994 = 319 million
1995 = 333
1996 = 331
1997 = 335
1998 = 331
1999 = 352 - First fiscal year under
Jim Starbird
2000 = 391
2001 = 423
2002 = 577
2003 = 582
2004 = 578
2005 = 570
2006 = 613
2007 = 653
2008 = 680
2009 = 750
2010 = 801