Santa Barbara County Compensation data available on the California State Controllers web site, learn the truth about Californias pubic pension fraud and corruption.

So I was reviewing our County Compensation data available on the California State Controllers web site yesterday and was just stunned at what I found. To have to be honest I came away with more questions than answers. After what I saw yesterday how anyone can think that throwing more money at our Pension deficit for 2011 will fix or change anything is beyond me? Of course I do not believe there is a deficit with the SBCERS pension. If we only had a hard dollar cost to the Pension we might better understands the whole situation.Just in the last 20 years contributions to the pension by the County account for almost 1 Billion dollars. Makes you think about what is really been going on.  I wonder why former Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors Mike Stoker and Brooks Firestone felt compelled to get up at a press conference last week and complain about the County’s current budget crisis, since they both helped create the situation. Than to place it in the lap of the current Board must have been a treat.

Controversy surrounds Santa Barbara County employee pay raises

Posted: Feb 14, 2011 5:52 PM by Monica Quintero - Source: KSBY News
Updated: Feb 14, 2011 8:54 PM  “Some strong and controversial words on Monday from “A group of former county supervisors held a press conference saying the county can't afford any salary, benefit and pension increases. Those former county supervisors want the current board of supervisors to negotiate with county employee bargaining groups to rescind all raises already given this past year as well as those scheduled for the upcoming year.”


In response to those past members bold statement I have this in reply. Below is just a small example of what I found when I reviewed our County Compensation Data. Now to illustrate why I feel we are in really bad shape I chose 2 county employment positions with combined salaries of 118,650. Do you have any idea how much they are required to contribute to their retirement based on that web site? Combined they would be responsible for a  total of only 695.00 yearly in contributions or less than 1% of there salaries. Is this madness or are we all just not holding anyone accountable? You have to look at the data for yourself as I did and see that position after position nobody contributes to there pension. 200,000 dollar salaries and at most they contribute 2080.dollars per year towards their pension, and that is by design? So if we where to follow Stokes and Firestone's suggestion an cut 3.5% in raises what would that really change?

.Classification ….Salary  Minimum .. Salary  Maximum….

Admn Office Pro Ii .......$.37,255 ……… $46,154 ..

Agri Program Specialist….$59,382…………$72,496

 ........................ (Box 5 of W-2)  Employee Wage
...............................................Subject to Medicare.2009.........Share of Pension Contributions
Admn Office Pro Ii.........18,265..................275........

Agri Program Specialist....37,251.......................420.........

During Mr. Stoker’s tenure as a Supervisor the removing of “excess returns” from the pension trust was normal and in 1999 even totaled 180 Million dollars (1/6 the total value of the fund)! Why should the current county employees be responsible for past actions by the Board of Supervisors? There is a “White Paper’ that attempts to clear up any concerns people might have had with the SBCERS pension written in 2006. My favorite part of the "White paper" written by County Clerk-Auditor-Controller Bob Geis is when he attempts to explain the practice of pulling excess funds" This is not an actuarial sound practice because "excess earnings" are not equivalent to surplus earnings". He than goes on to say how this practice takes from the pension fund but is than added back to the unfunded liability side at a new cost to the County. For Mr. Stoker I have included a graph that shows how he and other Supervisors chose to pull “excess returns” at least 7out of 10 years during 1990-2000.

You have to understand that even the company’s hired by SBCERS (Mercer) to audit the books have voiced numerous concerns for years now, about the practices by our elected officials with the pension fund. Here are just a few;

“ November 7th 2006
Mercer Human Resource Consulting
Retirement System Evaluation
County of Santa Barbara’
Page 3 Overview
“Some practices and policies could jeopardize funding status in the future.
In current form there is a lack of transparency of the Pension Plan.”
Further into the audit.
Funding Policy; “This practice distorts funding status and as we will note later makes benefit improvements appear free.”

Please feel free to review my source for the above comments yourself @ http://www.countyofsb.org/auditor/publications/SantaBarbaraReportFinal.pdf

When we fail to learn from our history we are bound to revisit those failures such as Enron.

http://www.crazymonkies.com/papers/Accounting%20-%20Enron%20Scandal.pdf

“Our legal system allows companies like Enron to manage their own employee
pension funds, producing a conflict of interest because the company has an incentive to use these funds in ways that benefit the company even when they negatively affect employees.( example the pulling of so called “excess returns”) Most companies also have codes of ethics that prohibit managers and executives from getting involved in another business. The managers and executives are faced with a conflict of interest because they have a duty to act in the best interest of the company and its shareholders.”

Here in Santa Barbara our county offices of the Recorder-Assessor Joe Holland and County Clerk-Auditor-Controller Bob Geis must at times. be faced with those very same types of conflicts, are we going down the same path as Enron? I am not he only one who has concerns; Supervisor Gray then addressed her Ponzi scheme comment, saying the board was moving money “here and there,” even making reference to Bernie Madoff. In case you forgot her comments where made during last years budget crisis.I am just thinking out loud here.

http://lgcr.sco.ca.gov/CompensationDetail.aspx?entity=County&id=10994200000

 Local Government Compensation Reports
Calendar Year 2009
County of Santa Barbara
Population: 431,312 (as of June 30, 2009)
Web Address: http://www.countyofsb.org/hr/default.aspx?id=10690&ekmensel=e2f22c9a_730_732_btnlink
The information presented is listed by Department for this entity. However, you also have the option of sorting by each of the different headings. Please click on any of the underlined words to sort by that heading.

See Column Definition

Classification	Multiple Positions	Annual Salary Minimum	Annual Salary Maximum	Total 2009 Wages Subject to Medicare (Box 5 of W-2)	Applicable Defined Benefit Pension Formula	Employees' Share of Pension Contributions	Deferred Compensation	Health, Dental, Vision
Admn Office Pro I		$28,505	$35,314	$37,746	2% @ 57	$649	—	—
Admn Office Pro I		$28,505	$35,314	$20,032	2% @ 57	$200	—	—
Admn Office Pro Ii		$37,255	$46,154	$39,697	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Admn Office Pro Ii		$37,255	$46,154	$18,265	2% @ 57	$275	—	$1,819
Admn Office Pro Ii		$37,255	$46,154	$40,844	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Admn Office Pro Iii		$48,690	$60,319	$55,809	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,136
Agri Biologist I		$39,292	$47,970	$14,922	2% @ 57	$200	—	$1,323
Agri Biologist I		$39,292	$47,970	$29,817	2% @ 57	$350	—	$2,316
Agri Biologist I		$39,292	$47,970	$5,624	N/A	—	$84	—
Agri Biologist Ii		$46,275	$56,494	$50,889	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Agri Biologist Ii		$46,275	$56,494	$24,837	2% @ 57	$360	—	$3,427
Agri Biologist Ii		$46,275	$56,494	$43,613	2% @ 57	$631	—	$4,301
Agri Biologist Iii		$52,161	$63,678	$57,401	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Agri Biologist Iii		$52,161	$63,678	$43,594	2% @ 57	$588	—	$3,970
Agri Biologist Iii		$52,161	$63,678	$64,776	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Agri Biologist Iii		$52,161	$63,678	$54,238	2% @ 57	$579	—	—
Agri Biologist Iii		$52,161	$63,678	$60,938	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Agri Biologist Iii		$52,161	$63,678	$63,115	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Agri Biologist Iii		$52,161	$63,678	$66,898	2% @ 57	$650	—	—
Agri Biologist Iii		$52,161	$63,678	$58,398	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Agri Biologist Supv		$60,580	$73,955	$64,747	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Agri Program Specialist		$59,382	$72,496	$37,251	2% @ 57	$420	—	$2,812
Agri Program Specialist		$59,382	$72,496	$72,629	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Asst Dept Ldr-exec		$89,746	$148,185	$101,936	2% @ 57	$2,080	—	$4,301
Dept/Corp Ldr-exec		$116,878	$194,102	$187,883	2% @ 57	$2,080	—	$4,301
Edp Sys & Prog Anlst Ii		$68,284	$83,359	$89,070	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Entomologist		$63,678	$77,736	$71,598	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,292
Extra Help Special		—	—	$8,160	N/A	—	$122	—
Plant Pathologist		$63,678	$77,736	$69,731	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Program/Bus Ldr-gen		$70,962	$116,878	$96,440	2% @ 57	$2,080	$216	$4,301
Program/Bus Ldr-gen		$70,962	$116,878	$83,424	2% @ 57	$2,080	$186	$4,301
Wgts-measures Insp Ii		$47,210	$57,633	$50,942	2% @ 57	$647	—	$4,301
Wgts-measures Insp Iii		$52,161	$63,678	$68,015	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Wgts-measures Insp Iii		$52,161	$63,678	$58,894	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Accountant I		$49,326	$60,219	$52,451	2% @ 57	$575	—	$3,474
Admhs Practitioner Ii		$53,211	$64,961	$66,943	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Admhs Practitioner Ii		$53,211	$64,961	$58,673	2% @ 57	$500	—	—
Admhs Practitioner Ii		$53,211	$64,961	$43,607	2% @ 57	$400	—	$2,647
Admhs Practitioner Intern		$46,046	$56,214	$63,327	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Admhs Rehabilitation Spec		$48,160	$58,794	$60,602	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Admhs Team Supv-practitioner		$57,921	$70,709	$63,792	2% @ 57	$600	—	—
Admhs Team Supv-practitioner		$57,921	$70,709	$75,030	2% @ 57	$650	—	—
Admhs Team Supv-practitioner		$57,921	$70,709	$25,756	2% @ 57	$311	—	$2,978
Admn Office Pro I		$28,505	$35,314	$28,306	2% @ 57	$374	—	$2,481
Admn Office Pro I		$28,505	$35,314	$39,125	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Admn Office Pro I		$28,505	$35,314	$41,106	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Admn Office Pro Ii		$37,255	$46,154	$46,207	2% @ 57	$600	—	$3,970
Alcohol & Drug Service Spec		$47,210	$57,633	$54,874	2% @ 57	$637	—	$4,301
Alcohol & Drug Service Spec		$47,210	$57,633	$60,902	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Alcohol & Drug Service Spec		$47,210	$57,633	$62,735	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Alcohol & Drug Service Spec		$47,210	$57,633	$29,424	2% @ 57	$421	—	$2,812
Alcohol & Drug Service Spec		$47,210	$57,633	$57,877	2% @ 57	$650	—	$5,945
Computer Systems Spec I		$52,948	$64,638	$48,377	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Cost Analyst Ii		$68,351	$83,443	$74,564	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,292
Dept Bus Spec Ii		$61,432	$74,996	$66,105	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Program/Bus Ldr-gen		$70,962	$116,878	$100,070	2% @ 57	$2,080	$233	$4,301
Accountant-auditor I		$48,352	$59,027	$42,559	2% @ 57	$450	—	$2,647
Accountant-auditor I		$48,352	$59,027	$39,094	2% @ 57	$450	—	$2,978
Accountant-auditor I		$48,352	$59,027	$57,576	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Accountant-auditor Ii		$53,424	$65,220	$63,033	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Accountant-auditor Ii		$53,424	$65,220	$35,685	2% @ 57	$325	—	$1,985
Accountant-auditor Ii		$53,424	$65,220	$61,080	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Accountant-auditor Ii		$53,424	$65,220	$59,169	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Accountant-auditor Ii		$53,424	$65,220	$71,133	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Accountant-auditor Ii		$53,424	$65,220	$63,984	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Accountant-auditor Iii		$61,555	$75,144	$79,477	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Accountant-auditor Iii		$61,555	$75,144	$61,941	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Accountant-auditor Iii		$61,555	$75,144	$61,578	2% @ 57	$627	—	$4,123
Admn Office Pro I		$28,505	$35,314	$17,900	N/A	—	$268	—
Admn Office Pro Ii		$37,255	$46,154	$7,499	N/A	—	$112	—
Asst Dept Ldr-exec		$89,746	$148,185	$123,282	2% @ 57	$2,080	—	$4,292
Asst Dept Ldr-exec		$89,746	$148,185	$148,148	2% @ 57	$2,080	—	$4,301
Asst Dept Ldr-exec		$89,746	$148,185	$128,459	2% @ 57	$2,080	—	$4,301
Asst Dept Ldr-exec		$89,746	$148,185	$96,042	2% @ 57	$1,560	—	$3,183
Audit Supervisor		$83,027	$101,358	$39,071	2% @ 57	$275	—	$1,819
Cost Analyst Ii		$68,351	$83,443	$83,494	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Cost Analyst Ii		$68,351	$83,443	$77,688	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Cost Analyst Ii		$68,351	$83,443	$89,424	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Dept/Corp Ldr-elected		$116,878	$194,102	$198,402	2% @ 57	$2,080	—	$4,301
Edp Computer Oper Iii		$47,922	$58,501	$60,449	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Edp Network Tech I		$48,160	$58,794	$13,676	N/A	—	$205	—
Edp Office Auto Coord Sr		$63,360	$77,350	$67,048	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Edp Office Auto Spec Ii		$80,903	$98,766	$92,275	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,292
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$14,301	N/A	—	—	—
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$108,761	2% @ 57	$2,080	$272	$4,127
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$93,140	2% @ 57	$2,080	$213	$4,301
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$111,424	2% @ 57	$2,080	$277	$4,301
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$89,989	2% @ 57	$1,920	$229	$3,970
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$115,888	2% @ 57	$2,080	$271	$4,123
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$83,344	2% @ 57	$2,080	$191	$4,301
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$117,451	2% @ 57	$2,080	$275	—
Financial Acct Analyst		$70,709	$86,323	$91,148	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Financial Acct Analyst		$70,709	$86,323	$80,356	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Financial Acct Analyst-r		$73,222	$89,389	$91,209	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Financial Office Pro Expert-res		$65,884	$81,618	$29,833	2% @ 57	$330	—	$1,654
Financial Office Pro I		$28,933	$35,844	$7,206	N/A	—	$108	—
Financial Office Pro I		$28,933	$35,844	$2,599	N/A	—	$38	—
Financial Office Pro I		$28,933	$35,844	$6,337	N/A	—	$95	—
Financial Office Pro I	C	$28,933	$35,844	$10,991	N/A	—	$164	—
Financial Office Pro I		$28,933	$35,844	$10,766	N/A	—	$161	—
Financial Office Pro I		$28,933	$35,844	$8,103	N/A	—	$121	—
Financial Office Pro I		$28,933	$35,844	$3,081	N/A	—	$46	—
Financial Office Pro I		$28,933	$35,844	$4,779	N/A	—	$71	—
Financial Office Pro I		$28,933	$35,844	$1,531	N/A	—	$22	—
Financial Office Pro I		$28,933	$35,844	$5,693	N/A	—	$85	—
Financial Office Pro I		$28,933	$35,844	$7,365	N/A	—	$110	—
Financial Office Pro Ii		$37,255	$46,154	$47,206	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Financial Office Pro Ii		$37,255	$46,154	$691	N/A	—	$10	—
Financial Office Pro Iii		$48,690	$60,319	$47,959	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Financial Office Pro Iii		$48,690	$60,319	$13,347	2% @ 57	$175	—	$1,158
Financial Office Pro Iii		$48,690	$60,319	$41,158	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Financial Office Pro Iii		$48,690	$60,319	$56,723	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Financial Office Pro Iii		$48,690	$60,319	$13,365	N/A	—	—	—
Financial Office Pro Iii		$48,690	$60,319	$58,091	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Financial Office Pro Iii-res		$50,410	$62,448	$63,267	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Financial Office Pro Iii-res		$50,410	$62,448	$62,129	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Financial Sys Analyst I		$70,709	$86,323	$76,316	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,292
Financial Sys Analyst I		$70,709	$86,323	$19,932	2% @ 57	$325	—	$2,150
Financial Sys Analyst Ii		$74,326	$90,735	$92,122	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,243
Financial Sys Analyst Ii		$74,326	$90,735	$76,289	2% @ 57	$650	—	$4,301
Financial Sys Analyst Sr-r		$83,777	$102,275	$104,082	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Financial Sys Analyst Sr-r		$83,777	$102,275	$98,599	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Financial Sys Analyst Sr-r		$83,777	$102,275	$93,451	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Financial Sys Analyst Sr-r		$83,777	$102,275	$96,228	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Financial Sys Anlyst I-r		$70,709	$86,323	$19,516	2% @ 57	$180	—	$992
Financial Sys Anlyst Ii-r		$76,964	$93,960	$90,938	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Financial Sys Anlyst Ii-r		$76,964	$93,960	$83,128	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,123
Admn Office Pro Ii-res		$37,814	$46,845	$49,689	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Bos Admin Asst Ii		$57,690	$70,427	$68,680	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Bos Admin Asst Ii		$57,690	$70,427	$70,344	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$91,482	2% @ 57	$2,080	$200	$4,301
Supervisor Elective		$84,488	$84,488	$70,959	2% @ 57	$2,419	—	$4,301
Bos Admin Asst Ii		$57,690	$70,427	$73,516	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$90,836	2% @ 57	$2,080	$203	$4,301
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$83,167	2% @ 57	$2,080	$179	$4,301
Supervisor Elective		$84,488	$84,488	$75,762	2% @ 57	$3,120	—	$4,292
Administrative Ldr-gen		$43,829	$73,049	$7,114	2% @ 57	$108	$10	$330
Bos Admin Asst I		$47,444	$57,921	$10,260	2% @ 57	$165	—	$827
Bos Admin Asst I		$47,444	$57,921	$11,476	N/A	—	$172	—
Bos Admin Asst Ii		$57,690	$70,427	$63,241	2% @ 57	$750	—	$3,970
Bos Admin Asst Ii		$57,690	$70,427	$63,155	2% @ 57	$750	—	$3,805
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$90,820	2% @ 57	$2,160	$204	$3,805
Supervisor Elective		$84,488	$84,488	$82,909	2% @ 57	$3,000	—	$3,805
Admn Office Pro Iii-res		$48,690	$60,319	$55,653	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Admn Office Pro Iii-res		$48,690	$60,319	$55,766	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Bos Admin Asst Ii		$57,690	$70,427	$36,887	2% @ 57	$330	—	$1,820
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$91,857	2% @ 57	$2,080	$200	$4,301
Supervisor Elective	U	$84,488	$84,488	$77,664	2% @ 57	$3,120	—	$4,301
Admn Office Pro Ii-res		$37,814	$46,845	$31,320	2% @ 57	$585	—	$3,226
Bos Admin Asst I		$47,444	$57,921	$40,653	2% @ 57	$780	—	$4,301
Enterprise Ldr-gen		$75,136	$135,662	$67,618	2% @ 57	$1,440	$130	$2,978
Supervisor Elective		$84,488	$84,488	$81,871	2% @ 57	$3,120	—	$4,301
Admin Professional		$51,900	$63,360	$38,013	2% @ 57	$472	—	$2,605