Oakland City Attorney Gives Himself a $28,000 Raise. Oakland City Attorney John Russo gave himself a $28,000 raise in 2007, San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross reported. They write that Mr. Russo "boosted his $207,000 salary by $28,000 this year by giving himself management leave and vacation pay typically reserved for non-elected department heads and managers, city records show." The columnists note that elected officials like the city attorney usually are paid a flat rate "on the premise that as long as the voters are happy, the officials can work whatever schedule they please."
Mr. Russo didn't limit his self-provided raises to 2007. In each of the past three years, he upped his gross pay nearly $12,000 by claiming three weeks' worth of management pay for leave days he didn't take. Last year, he cashed in 75 hours' worth of vacation, collecting approximately $8,000.
The city auditor recently reported that Oakland workers and managers had been overpaid $3 million in the past three years in bonuses, leaves, salary advances and cash-for-vacation deals. During that audit, city officials inquired about whether Mr. Russo was entitled to the same pay perks as non-elected department heads. Mr. Russo's office issued a legal opinion concluding that he was entitled to the perk. (Cal-Tax: An elected official awards himself a raise and then is in charge of issuing the legal opinion on whether it was justified? Conflict of interest, anyone?) (Source: San Francisco Chronicle, December 19.)
Cal-Taxletter January 4, 2008
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