Transparent California & California State Controller

ABSTRACT: Transparent California is “the largest database of California government employee compensation that is searchable by name and job title. It includes over 2 million salary records and over 1 million pension records,” according to Transparent California. Transparent California is provided by the California Public Policy Center and the Nevada Policy Research Institute as a public service.  The California Public Policy Center is a 501c3 nonprofit public charity; the CPPC “publishes studies designed to provide quantitative, top-down financial information and analysis of California’s state and local government finances, including reports on total state and local government revenue and expenses, as well as total state and local government debt. Related areas of focus include reports on the solvency of public sector pension plans and public employee total compensation.” While Transparent California contacted the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea last June 2013, the City has not provided records in an Excel-compatible format, as requested, to Transparent California. And even though the Message from the City Administrator, November 5, 2013, states “IT is quickly becoming the vehicle of choice for direct delivery of many City services. Carmel-by-the-Sea has an opportunity to gain recognition as a leader in innovative governance through engaging new IT solutions. This Plan addresses improving the efficiency of City staff while significantly reducing the City's environmental footprint. Residents and customers of the City will benefit from increased transparency, ease of conducting business with the City and new opportunities for participation in community discussions and forums” and the City’s Carmel-by-the-Sea FY2013-20171nformation Technology Strategic Plan states The Vision - Online City Hall: The goal of the Online City Hall is to create an electronic presence where the public can find information and conduct business without having to physically come to City Hall and Initiative Objectives: Increase timely access to information, Reduce the amount of paper circulated and stored by City departments, City Administrator Jason Stilwell wrote in a Memo serving “as guidance and direction in processing the city’s Public Records Act responses,” dated February 6, 2014, that requestors have to pay for copies of documents and “often pick them up on paper from city hall rather than receive them electronically,” according to reporting in The Carmel Pine Cone. However, the City apparently had the wherewithal to compile and transmit data to the California State Controller; the information document for the Year 2012 is embedded.

California Public Policy Center

“The California Public Policy Center is an educational foundation focused on how to improve California’s democracy and economy.”

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION DATABASES

Information compiled from public records and currently made available online, January 2014:

Transparent California
California Public Policy Center & Nevada Policy Research Institute

SALARY DATABASE:
“Name” + “Job title” + “Base pay” + “Overtime pay” + “Other pay” + “Total benefits” + “Total pay and benefits”

PENSION DATABASE: 
“Name” + “Job Title/Employer/Pension” + “Pension” + “Benefits” + “Years of service” + “Year of retirement” + “Total pension & benefit amount”

Government Compensation in California
California State Controller
http://gcc.sco.ca.gov/
“Total Wages” + “Defined Benefit Plan” + “Employees’ Ret. Cost Covered” + “Deferred Compensation” + Health, Dental & Vision”

 Employee Detail by Type

Government Compensation in California
Carmel-by-the-Sea

California State Controller's Office, Controller John Chiang

RELATED NEWS ARTICLE:
Watchdog group criticizes city for hiding salary data
By MARY SCHLEY
February 28, 2014 The Carmel Pine Cone 13A