California Redevelopment Battle: Some Redevelopment Officials Earn Big Money

This story comes courtesy of California Watch

Marie C. Baca

As the state's redevelopment agencies face being shut down under Gov. Jerry Brown's recent budget proposal, the six-figure salaries some agency employees take home could come under increased scrutiny.

The state's 400 redevelopment agencies are under intense public pressure to prove that they should continue to receive roughly $5 billion per year in property taxes to address blight. Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed eliminating the agencies to help close California's $25 billion budget gap.

State Controller John Chiang announced last month that the state would audit 18 redevelopment agencies to evaluate how they are using their funds.

While salary data from the 2010-11 fiscal year is not readily available, online databases from the San Francisco Chronicle show that some Northern California redevelopment agency employees were well compensated for their work in 2009.

In San Jose, Redevelopment Director Harry Mavrogenes received $271,198.35, making him the 16th highest-paid employee in the city.

Richmond's redevelopment director, Alan Wolken, made $149,574.91 that year. His salary ranked 143rd in the city.

Redevelopment Director James Kennedy of Contra Costa County was the 375th highest in the county at $139,693.08.

The pay is comparable in other parts of California. The blog LA Observed posted a list [PDF] of salaries for all 250 employees in the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles. At the top of the list: Chief Executive Officer Christine Essel at $223,256.00.

While noting that the hefty salaries aren't necessarily out of line for experienced government workers, LA Observed writer Mark Lacter says that agency officials looking to fend off Brown's cuts must "justify those 250-plus people and their relatively handsome salaries."

Late last week, budget plans nearly identical to Brown's were passed in key committees in the state Legislature, a preliminary indication that Brown's budget could be adopted. No changes were made to his proposal to eliminate the redevelopment agencies.

Comments

[bart4u]

01:41 AM on 02/24/2011

What about the commissions Arnold put his friends on. Let get rid of those people and their salaries.

[dbrett480]

12:42 AM on 02/23/2011

The governor should also look at the salaries of the members of state boards. They make 6 figure salaries and meet only a few times a year. The members are usually politically connected friends.

[skraeling]

03:14 AM on 02/23/2011

uh, better yet,,,do we really need all those Boards? Most are staffed, seemingly, with pals and relatives and termed out politicians and former lobbyists..

[m1jones]

12:03 AM on 02/23/2011

The state would be better off without the overpaid, under-scrutinized "Redevelopment" Agencies. I think most people in California are in favor of just eliminating them. A lot of cities are resisting. This is a very good idea and I hope the legislature proceeds with it.

There are lots of private sources for development funds besides taxpayers - or they could be broken into smaller parcels which take less time to implement and often produce more intresting design. Redevelopment agenicies are the indepedent fiedoms which can take private property with eminent domain and then resell it to private developers for the developers to make private profits.

Redevelopment areas are famous for creating dead areas in San Francisco - like destroying the Filmore District - a once thriving jazz district - to create a really dead Japan Town, which, 30 years later, is a business failure which is being sold back to a private interest. This is undemocratic and ineffective.

But they pay a lot of fat salaries to people who head and work in Redevelopment Agencies. Redevelopment Agencies don't even have to meet the local planning codes.

[skraeling]

03:16 AM on 02/23/2011

In Los Angeles the CRA is the perfect vehicle for corruption on a massive scale as developers, public service unions and politicians work hand in hand to plunder the treasury....it is closely followed up by the Port, the Airports and the DWP!.....

[Donkan]

05:27 PM on 02/22/2011

It doesn't look to me like the salaries are really all that outrageous if you want competent, non-corrupt people running the agencies. The bigger question is whether the funds they manage are being used properly and couldn't be used better elsewhere. The reports I'm seeing indicate that funds are being used to benefit the wealthy and influential and as an ATM for the cities. Maybe it's time for them to go.

[leorangerie]

04:40 PM on 02/22/2011

There is a ton of waste to be found, and I think the Gov intends to shed light on it...scaring both parties, no doubt.

[MMJones]

10:34 PM on 02/22/2011

Love our Jerry Brown.
I'm a Dem and under no illusions that he's a friend to either party. He'll do whatever it takes and will not be practicing cronyism or party favoritism.

[TeeSC]

03:37 PM on 02/22/2011

Keep chipping away at it Jerry... we're behind you all the way. 

[Doug Watt]

05:35 PM on 02/22/2011

100% behind him. I had no idea Harry Mavrogenes was making $271,198.35, that is an outrage.

[derby134]

06:03 PM on 02/22/2011

The outrage is who approved these salaries! Hopefully haircuts across the board are in order.

[FreeProgressLiberal]

02:32 PM on 02/22/2011

Yet people wonder why California is broke... amazing!

[bgofca]

05:22 PM on 02/22/2011

ca is broke because of all of the repug govs they've had in the past 20 years and by the damage done with enron, etc. Also, since they needed a 2/3 majority to pass any money raising bills or for the budget, the minority repugs always blocked taxes on the wealthy or big business. the last election changed that and now we have a democratic gov who is very good at being thrifty. things should get much better soon.

[FreeProgressLiberal]

10:12 PM on 02/22/2011

Ever heard of Governor Davis?

[Daly]

10:50 PM on 02/22/2011

nope we do not wonder... ENRON started the downslide; then the dopes that went for an action hero gave us 6  years of Ahnold.

[NamithaSF]

01:00 PM on 02/22/2011

State and city govt in CA, with a few exceptions, is corrupt from top to bottom, wasting billions.

The total number of commissions in this state is astounding and the salaries even more astounding.

Jerry, you keep chasing those cell phones and swag.

[lotus321]

01:21 PM on 02/22/2011

He can only cut around the edges..he is sold out and cant cut what he should really cut.

[socalcde]

01:55 PM on 02/22/2011

You and Namitha should hitch your wagons and head toward Wisconsin where you'd be more aligned with the governor.

[Iam12Vote]

05:44 PM on 02/22/2011

...which is why he's moving to let California Tax Payers vote on his budget?
I think you're mistaken.

[BluuFin]

06:18 PM on 02/22/2011

What is wrong with you? Don't you realize that Governor Brown is the reason this is all coming to light? Give the man a chance to put this house in order. It's what we elected him for. Or must you just hate at every opportunity?

[MMJones]

10:38 PM on 02/22/2011

Thank you.