City Manager's '09 Compensation More Than $300,000

In the wake of the Bell scandal and subsequent outrage, and in an effort to provide more transparency about public employees' salaries, the League of California Cities released a survey this week of California city managers' and county executive officers' compensation. 

Of the 468 cities and towns with managers, 90 percent have responded so far to the survey and it continues to be updated. 

Paul Arevalo, West Hollywood's city manager, reported a total compensation of $309,000 for 2009, according to the survey.

Arevalo's self-reported salary included the following breakdown of his compensation:

• Salary  $283,000
• Deferred compensation $13,500
• Auto allowance $6,100
• Technology allowance $4,200
• Health benefit $2,200
• Population: 37,580

In August, the city of West Hollywood reported Arevalo's base salary in 2009 was $270,360, with a total taxable income of $285,000. The League of California Cities says some agencies chose not to respond to the survey for a variety of reasons. Some cities said they had already published their full compensation online whereas other said the city manager's position was vacant in 2009. A total of 12 cities do not operate with a city manager, according to the league.  

"By publicly releasing the results of the survey, the league and its city managers' department are helping promote transparency and accountability for local residents and taxpayers," the organization said in an announcement.

The League of California Cities is made up of California city officials who work together to enhance their knowledge and skills by exchanging information, and combining resources so that they may influence policy decisions that affect cities.

Below are some key elements to the survey:

• In order to secure a quick but complete response, city managers were asked to report the amount of compensation that appeared in Box 5 of the federal W-2 form for calendar year 2009. Although not perfect, this is a uniformly available compensation figure that includes salary and a variety of fringe benefits (e.g., car allowance, deferred compensation, payouts of unused leave, life insurance greater than $50,000). 
• It does not include health insurance or employer payments to defined benefit retirement programs, however. This latter information will be collected in the upcoming report from the State Controller's Office, which the league and Cal-ICMA (the California affiliate of the International City Management Association) have both offered comments on to the State Controller's Office.
• City managers who felt the amount reported in Box 5 of the W-2 was neither complete (as some had already released more comprehensive data) or otherwise needed an accompanying explanation were given the opportunity to provide that information.

Following the release of the survey, Chris McKenzie, league executive director, issued this statement: "The league is working to ensure maximum transparency of compensation information to provide residents with the tools they need to ensure continued accountability at the local level."

The league's city managers department worked in partnership with the County Administrative Officers Association of California and the International City Management Association to gather the survey information.