With the ongoing controversy over officials' salaries in the city of Bell, California, many local governments are pressed to be transparent as concerns over outrageous pay has stirred some communities.
In the Los Angeles suburb of La Mirada, officials boast a fiscally conservative tradition where they do "not want to be the highest paying employer, nor does it want to be the lowest." While La Mirada City Manager Tom Robinson makes a respectable income for his position, City Clerk Anne Haraksin, who is responsible for official records and other items, earns significantly more than the national average at $106,988 annually.
According to the city of La Mirada Web site, her official duties are:
"The City Clerk's Office is the records center for official actions of the City Council and the La Mirada Redevelopment Agency, and is responsible for related agendas, minutes, and public hearing notices. In addition, the office receives claims and legal actions against the City; oversees the City's Records Management Program; maintains the Municipal Code and registration/ownership certificates for City vehicles; attests and notarizes City documents; and interacts with the City Council, City staff, and the general public on all related matters.The City Clerk serves as Clerk of the Council, administers municipal elections; is the filing officer for campaign and economic interest statements required by the Political Reform Act; and is the custodian of the City seal. The position of City Clerk is appointed and operates under statutory provisions of the California Government Code, the Elections Code, and City ordinances and policies.The City Clerk's Office is a division of the Administration Department."
What I want to find out is why the La Mirada City Clerk deserves a salary higher than the national average. I will also try to find out the average salary for city clerks in California by contacting the City Clerks Association of California and also obtain a list of salaries of city clerks in the region and the state as a comparison. I hope to get some insight from local and state officials on city officials' pay.
I hope that I can get people to be aware of how their tax money is spent and if city officials deserve the salaries they are offered.
I am a Kingston University graduate journalism student currently residing in the LA area. I have been involved in journalism in the last decade, interning and writing for major publications such as Los Angeles CityBeat and The Independent on Sunday (UK). Currently, I am a contributor to the La Mirada Blog, a hyperlocal Web site dedicated to covering all news in La Mirada.
I hope to provide analysis on the La Mirada city clerk's salary along with an earnings comparison, as explained above, based on statistics and information in pursuant to the California Public Records Act. I plan to interview local officials and concerned residents, sharing their reactions.
