Pension Release for over 55
Hundreds of Burbank city employees have received a collective $4 million in bonuses since July 2007, according to documents the city fought in court to keep out of public view.
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in May ordered city officials to release bonus pay amounts for individual employees to the Burbank Leader, which sued to obtain the information. The city of Burbank had denied the newspaper's public records request, arguing that it would harm employee morale and violate workplace privacy rules.
On Thursday, City Council members noted that they had suspended bonuses for mostly executive-level employees for the coming fiscal year, given a budget in which library upgrades were put off, fire services were reduced and fees were raised.
"As a result of that, we are returning that money to city services which is important," Councilwoman Emily Gabel-Luddy said. "Frankly, it was a very important step to take. Actually, it was critical. And we took it."
The records released by city officials reveal a work culture built around that bonus system, which for some employees has amounted to tens of thousands of dollars in the last four years alone.
Burbank Water and Power General Manager Ron Davis pulled in $79,000 in bonus pay during the four-year period, putting him at the top of the list. Davis' total salary in 2010 was $263,028.
Hundreds of Burbank city employees have received a collective $4 million in bonuses since July 2007, according to documents the city fought in court to keep out of public view.
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in May ordered city officials to release bonus pay amounts for individual employees to the Burbank Leader, which sued to obtain the information. The city of Burbank had denied the newspaper's public records request, arguing that it would harm employee morale and violate workplace privacy rules.
On Thursday, City Council members noted that they had suspended bonuses for mostly executive-level employees for the coming fiscal year, given a budget in which library upgrades were put off, fire services were reduced and fees were raised.
"As a result of that, we are returning that money to city services which is important," Councilwoman Emily Gabel-Luddy said. "Frankly, it was a very important step to take. Actually, it was critical. And we took it."
The records released by city officials reveal a work culture built around that bonus system, which for some employees has amounted to tens of thousands of dollars in the last four years alone.
Burbank Water and Power General Manager Ron Davis pulled in $79,000 in bonus pay during the four-year period, putting him at the top of the list. Davis' total salary in 2010 was $263,028.