HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-03-2016 Item 14, SchmidtCOUNCIL MEETING:d'-•t�'�,
ITEM NO.:
To: Maier, John Paul
Subject: RE: Item 14 -- retention bonus
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AC — Item 14
From: Richard Schmidt [
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2016 2:45 PM
To: E-mail Council Website
Subject: Item 14 -- retention bonus
Item 14 — Retention bonuses.
Dear Council Members,
am highly offended that you are contemplating raising the city manger's and city attorney's salaries
by offering them a bogus "retention bonus." Retention for what?
This is the sort of stuff corporate boards do with executives of companies that are about to go under,
and they don't want the execs to bail ship before it sinks. Is there something you know but aren't
telling us?
Does Ms. Lichtig need a bonus?
According to Transparent California her pay for 2012, 2013 and 2014 was $221,520 per year, which
is more than 4 times the average household income in our community. Why does she need a
"bonus?"
But that steady-state $221,520 "annual pay" is a fiction — a convenient one you can provide the public
without the rest of the facts. Here is her total compensation for those same years:
2012, $250,703.77.
2013, $296,742.00.
2014, $301,089.33.
That shows her compensation has rapidly risen, not stayed steady. In fact, in just 3 years her
compensation has risen by $51,000 per year! That's raise is more than most of your constituents
make in a year.
In percentage terms, she has had a 20% compensation increase. How many of your constituents
have been that fortunate?
The city attorney's base pay has, on the other hand, risen steadily in the same 3 year period, from
$158,774.04 to $172,854.06, and her total compensation has risen from $189,999.97 to $244,343.20.
That's a 29% increase!!! How is that justified?
Many in town regard our college teachers as the economic elite, but both of these high paid public
employees have benefit packages that alone are larger than my pay after 28 years of college
teaching! What's going on, folks? This is way out of whack.
People in town don't understand why you keep piling on the money for these privileged high earners.
Isn't it time to stop?
Sincerely,
Richard Schmidt