54% of sewer district workers cracked $100k club- oc watchdog blog_ orange count
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54% of sewer district workers cracked $100K club- OC Watchdog Blog: Orange County Register
http://www.ocregister.com/taxdollars/strong-478310-workers-100k.html[9/4/2015 5:56:53 PM]
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54% of sewer district workers cracked $100K clubOct. 18, 2011 | Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.
By Teri Sforza,
Register staff writer
COMMENTS
SEND PDFThose seeking glamorous careers in public service do not, generally, wind up at sewer agencies.
(A deep breath as one approaches the Orange County Sanitation District in Fountain Valley tells why.)
But sewer systems and the neutralization of waste water are pretty much the dividing line between civilization and the lack thereof, so it's hard to overestimate the importance of the job.
So it's on this backdrop that we report that 53.7 percent of the
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54% of sewer district workers cracked $100K club- OC Watchdog Blog: Orange County Register
http://www.ocregister.com/taxdollars/strong-478310-workers-100k.html[9/4/2015 5:56:53 PM]
Sanitation District's workers earned more than $100,000 in total compensation in 2009 — and six earned more than $200,000, according to figures from the state controller's office.
Average total compensation for all 672 reported positions -- including board members and part-timers -- was $100,731. Of those, 361 earned total comp of more than $100K.
If we pull out just full-time positions -- which we're defining as those with a pension plan -- there were 621 workers. Of those, 58 percent cracked the $100K club, and average total comp was $108,612. (See full pay detail on all the district's employees here.)
Sanitation District spokeswoman Sonja Wassgren Morgan pointed out that the district's mission is a more scientifically complicated one than most.
"The district's professionals are highly technical, and many hold advanced degrees and state-issued certifications," she told us by email. "With a workforce made up of engineers, scientists, chemists, other skilled professionals, and state-certified operators and mechanics, our average salaries tend to be higher than other governmental entities."
Nearly 15 percent of its staff holds master or Ph.D. degrees, she said, and all its engineers and plant staff (operators, mechanics, and electricians) must be certified by the state of California.
OTHERS
We've been focusing on cities so far in this $100K club series. Cities can have more general-skill workers than specialized governments like the Sanitation District, so we're finding that a smaller percentage of city workers crack the $100K club, and a larger percentage of special district workers crack the $100K club.
Consider:
69 percent of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California workforce earned more than$100K;
54 percent of Santa Ana city employees;
more than half of the staffers at the Orange County Water District;
39 percent of Orange city workers;
31 percent of Anaheim city workers;
26 percent of Fullerton city workers;
22 percent of Irvine workers;
and 18 percent of Laguna Beach city workers.
We'll take a look soon at the South Orange County Wastewater Authority -- which does the same job as the Sanitation District, but on a much smaller scale, for south county cities and water districts. It will be interesting to see how they compare.
WHAT IS TOTAL COMP?
Total compensation as reported to the state controller includes:
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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Bungee jumping
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54% of sewer district workers cracked $100K club- OC Watchdog Blog: Orange County Register
http://www.ocregister.com/taxdollars/strong-478310-workers-100k.html[9/4/2015 5:56:53 PM]
taxable wages as reported to the federal government
the cost of health, dental and vision insurance
deferred compensation
and what a city pays to cover the employee share of retirement costs. (It doesn't include what the city pays as its share of retirement costs.)
SO WHAT?
We've undertaken this series with the express intent of making people aware of the nitty gritty -- what local governments pay for everything from librarians and maintenance workers and administrative assistants to general managers and CEOs.
It's detail that We the People have never had at our fingertips before. To those who say these analyses are useless, we whisper one word: Bell.
Some may think pay is too low for some jobs. Some may think it's too high for others. You can use this information in discussions with your elected representatives, at the special district and the city levels. Find contact numbers and email addresses for local cities here, and for special districts here.
Knowledge is power, people.
More Watchdog:
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More cities:
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54% of sewer district workers cracked $100K club- OC Watchdog Blog: Orange County Register
http://www.ocregister.com/taxdollars/strong-478310-workers-100k.html[9/4/2015 5:56:53 PM]
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54% of sewer district workers cracked $100K club- OC Watchdog Blog: Orange County Register
http://www.ocregister.com/taxdollars/strong-478310-workers-100k.html[9/4/2015 5:56:53 PM]
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