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LEGAL DOCUMENTS GLENDALE CHARTER MUNICIPAL
CODE CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION OPEN GOVERNMENT: OPEN MEETINGS: RALPH M. BROWN ACT OPEN DOCUMENTS: CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT (CPRA) CPRA Quick Guide Wage Data State of California Wage Data Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics Wage Database - L.A. Glendale Area Glendale budget Glendale Budget Glendale CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report) Glendale Utility Users Tax GLENDALE SALARIES Glendale’s Base Wage Scale by Job Classification Glendale’s Base Wage Scale by Pay Range Monthly Wage GLENDALE’S $100K Club Glendale wages compared to other employees in Glendale/LA (according to federal wage surveys) PENSION COSTS Related Articles Cal-Tax Pension issues Glendale Retirement Systems General Information Steve’s Analysis DEBT PENDING FIRE Fire Organization Firefighter Labor Agreement Graphs of Current Fire Employee Wage Structure $100K Fire Jobs Fire EMS Fee POLICE Police Organization Police Labor Agreement $100K Police Jobs Crime Statistics Issues of High-Density Residential Areas Activities http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/gmc/charter.asphttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/gmc/index.asphttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/gmc/index.asphttp://www.leginfo.ca.gov/const-toc.htmlhttp://www.leginfo.ca.gov/const-toc.htmlhttp://www.brownact.org/http://www.brownact.org/http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=gov&group=06001-07000&file=6250-6270http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=gov&group=06001-07000&file=6250-6270http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=gov&group=06001-07000&file=6250-6270http://www.thefirstamendment.org/capra.htmlhttp://www.dpa.ca.gov/salaries/main.htmhttp://www.dpa.ca.gov/salaries/main.htmhttp://www.bls.gov/oes/2007/may/oes_31084.htmhttp://www.bls.gov/oes/2007/may/oes_31084.htmhttp://www.bls.gov/oes/2007/may/oes_31084.htmhttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/admin-svcs/budget.asphttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/admin-svcs/cafr_2008.asphttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/admin-svcs/cafr_2008.asphttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/admin-svcs/cafr_2008.asphttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/gmc/4.36.asphttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/gmc/4.36.aspGlendale_Salary_Table.htmlGlendale_Salary_Table.htmlGlendale_Salary_Table.htmlGlendale_Salary_Table.htmlhttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/hr/pdf/SalarySchedule_090208.pdf$100K_Club.html$100K_Club.htmlFederal_Wage_Data_Table.htmlFederal_Wage_Data_Table.htmlFederal_Wage_Data_Table.htmlFederal_Wage_Data_Table.htmlFederal_Wage_Data_Table.htmlhttp://www.hjta.org/california-commentary/no-one-laughing-nowhttp://www.caltax.org/waste/waste_pensions_benefits.htmlhttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/hr/pdf/RetirementGuide2008.pdfhttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/hr/pdf/fire.pdfhttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/hr/pdf/GFFA_MOU.pdfhttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/hr/pdf/GFFA_MOU.pdfhttp://web.me.com/richard.dickinson/TEMP_GLENDALE/Fire_Graphs.htmlhttp://web.me.com/richard.dickinson/TEMP_GLENDALE/Fire_Graphs.htmlhttp://web.me.com/richard.dickinson/TEMP_GLENDALE/Fire_Graphs.htmlhttp://fire.ci.glendale.ca.us/pdf/GlendaleMedicProgram_Residents.pdfhttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/hr/pdf/Police.pdfhttp://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/hr/GPOA_MOU.asphttp://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2007/data/table_08_ca.htmlhttp://www.apple.com/shapeimage_5_link_0shapeimage_5_link_1shapeimage_5_link_2shapeimage_5_link_3shapeimage_5_link_4shapeimage_5_link_5shapeimage_5_link_6shapeimage_5_link_7shapeimage_5_link_8shapeimage_5_link_9shapeimage_5_link_10shapeimage_5_link_11shapeimage_5_link_12shapeimage_5_link_13shapeimage_5_link_14shapeimage_5_link_15shapeimage_5_link_16shapeimage_5_link_17shapeimage_5_link_18shapeimage_5_link_19shapeimage_5_link_20shapeimage_5_link_21shapeimage_5_link_22shapeimage_5_link_23shapeimage_5_link_24shapeimage_5_link_25shapeimage_5_link_26shapeimage_5_link_27shapeimage_5_link_28shapeimage_5_link_29shapeimage_5_link_30shapeimage_5_link_31shapeimage_5_link_32shapeimage_5_link_33shapeimage_5_link_34shapeimage_5_link_35shapeimage_5_link_36shapeimage_5_link_37shapeimage_5_link_38shapeimage_5_link_39shapeimage_5_link_40shapeimage_5_link_41shapeimage_5_link_42shapeimage_5_link_43shapeimage_5_link_44shapeimage_5_link_45shapeimage_5_link_46shapeimage_5_link_47shapeimage_5_link_48
Sustainability Issues: unsustainability means THAT taxes and fees ARE GROWING beyond what citizens can afford, combined with stagnant or shrinking services. GLENDALE FAST FACTS SINCE 2001: Population growth = 5.9% Number of new households = 4.8% Increase in public safety costs = 124% Increase in pension costs = 181% Increase in long term pension obligation = 90.9% Fees: glendale has been imposing new fees and hiking old ones. HAVE THESE REVENUE INCREASES TRANSLATED INTO IMPROVED SERVICES? Windfall: GLENDALE GOT A WINDFALL OF $60 - $80 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX. MUCH OF THIS CAME FROM HOUSING BUBBLE. DID THIS REVENUE TRANSLATE INTO SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS? Utility bills: glendale has a high utility user tax (one of the highest in the california) that is intended to support municipal services (parks, roads, community safety). glendale collected $27.8 million in utility tax in fy 2008. HOW DID THE CITY SPEND THIS? IN ADDITION TO the utility tax A glendale charter SECTION (Sec. 22) allows the city COUNCIL TO TAKE SOME utility REVENUE AND SUPPORT non-utility services. In 2008, glendale transferred $25.3 million in utility funds to THE GENERAL FUND. HOW DID THE CITY SPEND THIS? THE CHARTER DOES NOT REQUIRE THIS TRANSFER. IF THE CITY COUNCIL LEFT the monies IN THE UTILITIES, OUR ELECTRIC BILLS WOULD NOT BE GOING UP AS QUICKLY. is the city using this revenue wiselY, and as the voters intended? utility rates are poised to go EVEN higher For taxpayers and citizens of Glendale because of state and federal requirements TO PRODUCE MORE “green energy.” BUT IF IT WERE NOT COSTLY TO PRODUCE, UTILITIES WOULD ALREADY BE DOING IT. Do Glendale’s annual transfers of tens of millions of dollars from its enterprise accounts to the general fund violate the spirit of proposition 13, or do they open the city to a taxpayer lawsuit? The transfers come from the accounts that were set up by the city charter to pay the cost of operating water, electricity and other enterprise systems. ARE THESE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS PAYING FOR NEW WORKERS AND EXPANDED SERVICES, OR EXPANDED WAGE AND BENEFIT PACKAGES FOR EXISTING EMPLOYEES? Proposition 13 was aimed at limiting the costs of government, and preventing citizens from being taxed out of their homes. do high wage agreements UNDERMINE THE INTENT OF PROp 13? compare Glendale’s wage scales with the pay scales for other employees in the los angeles/glendale regional area according to the federal bureau of labor statistics (BLS) COMPARE GLENDALE FIREFIGHTER WAGES WITH THOSE THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA AND THE U.S. During the most-recent period of relative prosperity, the city of glendale spent more money than it GOT. HUGE COST INCREASES ARE ON THE HORIZON FOR GLENDALE: THE LOSS OF INVESTMENT EARNINGS BY CAL-PERS, THE CITY’S PENSION MANAGER, WILL REQUIRE THE CITY TO MAKE MAJOR ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS IN ORDER TO FULLY FUND PENSION OBLIGATIONS that THE CITY ALREADY PROMISED THE HOUSING BUBBLE HAS BURST. FEWER HOMES ARE BEING SOLD, AND THE ONES THAT ARE SOLD ARE AT REDUCED PRICES. ALSO, RECENT HOME BUYERS ARE FILING FOR ASSESSMENT REDUCTIONS WITH THE COUNTY. ALL THIS WILL TRANSLATE INTO SHRINKING PROPERTY TAX REVENUES FOR GLENDALE. WHAT WILL THIS REVENUE PRESSURE MEAN FOR SERVICES? municipal bankruptcy: The city of Valejo has filed for bankruptcy because (1) it spent more than it received year after year, and (2) it promised its employee more than it could afford. every day citizens read about New fee and tax initiatives. fees hiked for tennis courts, fees hiked for youth sports teams to use glendale recreation facilities, PAY PARKING ON BRAND BLVD, 7-DAYS A WEEK, FROM 6 A.M TO 10 P.M. The record decline in the economy is affecting the world, the u.s., and every state and city . . . INCLUDING GLENDALE. LARGE INDUSTRIES IN GLENDALE ARE LAYING OFF WORKERS. a majority of taxes and fees go toward supporting emergency services. A MAJORITY OF FIRE CALLS ARE FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES. YET glendale established fees FOR ambulance SERVICE. Glendale claims you may have to pay an ambulance bill in excess of $1000 unless you subscribe to their ambulance program. . PAGE ON DEBT HISTORY PAGE ON BUDGET HISTORY PAGE ON CHANGE IN PROGRAM SERVICES Finance.htmlFinance.htmlFederal_Wage_Chart_Part_1.htmlFederal_Wage_Chart_Part_1.htmlFederal_Wage_Chart_Part_1.htmlFederal_Wage_Chart_Part_1.htmlFederal_Wage_Chart_Part_1.htmlhttp://web.me.com/richard.dickinson/TEMP_GLENDALE/Fire_Background.htmlhttp://web.me.com/richard.dickinson/TEMP_GLENDALE/Fire_Background.htmlhttp://web.me.com/richard.dickinson/TEMP_GLENDALE/Fire_Background.htmlFinance.htmlFinance.htmlhttp://www.law.com/jsp/tal/digestTAL.jsp?id=1202428462515http://www.sanbrunobeacon.com/2008/02/2_we_cannot_escape_the_laws_of.htmlhttp://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/2009/03/05/politics/gnp-tennis05.txthttp://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/2009/03/05/politics/gnp-tennis05.txtshapeimage_11_link_0shapeimage_11_link_1shapeimage_11_link_2shapeimage_11_link_3shapeimage_11_link_4shapeimage_11_link_5shapeimage_11_link_6shapeimage_11_link_7shapeimage_11_link_8shapeimage_11_link_9shapeimage_11_link_10shapeimage_11_link_11shapeimage_11_link_12shapeimage_11_link_13shapeimage_11_link_14shapeimage_11_link_15

  1. BulletCalifornia citizens do not delegate authority to their public servants to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created." - Ralph M. Brown Act: California Government Code section 54960[2].

CITIZENS’ TOOLBOX

IS GLENDALE TOP-HEAVY WITH MANAGERS?

Over the recent nine year period, Glendale added 16 management level positions and 80 mid-level managers.

(See Prop 13 Issues web page for detail)

Glendale Employee Contributions to Elected Councilmembers since 2004

Glendale Employee Contributions to Elected Councilmembers since 2004

Glendale Employee Contributions to Elected Councilmembers since 2004

TOTAL = $89,900

TOTAL = $89,900

TOTAL = $89,900

Source: City of Glendale financial disclosure forms and Hal Weber

Source: City of Glendale financial disclosure forms and Hal Weber

Source: City of Glendale financial disclosure forms and Hal Weber