Elected members don’t make much per hour, but then there’s the
perks
By Heather Driscoll Special to the Dispatch
Gilroy – Elected officials who voluntarily serve local communities make about “$2.50 per hour,” according to one Gilroy Councilman.
But that’s not including the perks, in which one termed-out San Jose City Councilwoman is trying to capitalize on.
“If you consider the amount of time we put in, I think we’re underpaid,” said Councilman Craig Gartman. “Just the other day, I was figuring it out in my head, and we only make about $2.50 an hour.”
Mayor Al Pinheiro brought in $12,708 in 2005, while city councilmen earned $8,472.
Along with the cash stipend, elected officials also are awarded benefits, and in 2005 the city spent about $10,000 on each councilman in health care coverage.
But, for San Jose Councilwoman Linda LeZotte, partial benefits aren’t enough. She asked the council to consider providing lifetime health care benefits to city officials forced out of office due to term limits. She said that an appealing benefits packages is important in attracting low-income candidates to run for public office.
The value of such benefits could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars per recipient.
“Give me a break, she needs lifetime psychiatry,” said Gilroy Councilman Russ Valiquette. “If you take a look back on the recall for Gov. Gray Davis, you can see all the inexperienced and unqualified names that got put on the ballot. Of course you are going to attract all kinds of people based on the perks, but those are the type of people you don’t want running for office.”
Valiquette, whose wife and three kids are covered under the city’s health plan, says that he doesn’t mind the monthly paycheck and benefits, but did not run for council to get rich.
“When you have kids, Kaiser comes in handy,” Valiquette said. “I’m not going to complain, but it’s not like you’re going to retire off City Council alone.”
Meanwhile, the Santa Clara Valley Water District members topped the pay scale, earning up to $25,729 in fiscal 2005. The board granted themselves a $10 raise per meeting, increasing their pay to $214 per meeting for up to 10 meetings per month.
“If you compare us to the (California) State Legislature or the (Santa Clara) County Board of Supervisors, we really don’t make that much,” said Greg Zlotnick, a 10-year veteran of the water board. “Our expenses and compensation may look a little high on paper, but we do a lot of traveling and lobbying to help bring back millions for the city.”
While the mayor, city councilmen and water board members all received a pay increase for the fiscal 2005 term, the Gilroy Unified School District (GUSD) and Gavilan College board members received the same annual stipend of $2,880 since 2003.
“It’s not a whole lot, but people don’t do this for the money,” GUSD board member Pat Midtgaard said.
According to district expense reports, the Santa Clara Valley Water District spent between $6,000 and $22,000 per member in annual health benefit expenses.
Zlotnick talked of how increasing the already costly benefits to some degree would help with the financial obligations that most officials encounter.
“I’m sympathetic to the idea, but I don’t think 100 percent benefits is realistic or logistically possible,” Zlotnick said.”When I look back 10 years ago, family or no family, I’m not sure I would’ve been able to run for office if they hadn’t provided me with benefits. I would’ve had to find myself a separate job that did. We don’t get a salary, so every bit helps.”
The Gavilan College Board of Trustees collectively racked up $43,891 in benefits for 2005, with plans worth as much as $15,000. Board members Jesse Sandow and Elvira Robinson made greatest use of the program with plans that reached more than $14,000 each, while Kent Child accounted for none of the expenditures.
Gavilan trustee Laura Perry said most people don’t run for office primarily for the benefits.. There is a costly filing fee in order to even be considered for candidacy, she added.
“I paid over $2,000 just for my name and statement to be put on the ballot,” Perry said. “That’s a lot of money and I’m not sure that’s worth benefits alone. The reason why we get stipend and benefits is so that anyone can run and we don’t limit candidates to just the people who can afford it.”
As for the GUSD board, the district spent a total of $61,602 in benefits for their members. Options for benefits include medical, dental, vision and life insurance. Officials Tom Bundros, David McRae and Jim Rogers accounted for $39,423 of the boards benefit expenses,each with plans that topped out to $13,141 annually.
Out of the seven GUSD board members, six of them take advantage of the benefits. Javier Aguirre declines all benefits and Jaime Rosso only accepts the life-insurance policy.
Bundros, who has been serving the board since 2002 and who was re-elected Nov. 7, has made use of all the plans except for vision and agrees that the benefits are appropriate for the time he puts into the board.
“It comes with the package,” Bundros said. “But, it’s not an alternative motive to run for office.”
Newcomers Francisco Dominguez and Denise Apuzzo, who were both elected to the school board earlier this month, said that they have not been made aware of any of the benefits.
“I was aware that there were a few, but I’d have to go over them and see if it is even worth it,” Apuzzo said. “I know we get paid $240 a month. That’s a benefit I’ll definitely take because I plan on putting in more than the required hours.”
