Beaumont And Desert Hot Springs Listed For Not Reporting Compensation

The revelation of ballooned salaries earned by city officials in the Los Angeles County suburb of Bell has prompted statewide changes.

The state controller launched a website Monday listing the salaries, pensions and other compensation for nearly 600,000 city and county employees throughout California.

Almost all of the cities in or near the Coachella Valley are listed on the site. But there are two exceptions.

Beaumont and Desert Hot Springs have both failed to list salary and compensation reports on the new website.

A spokesperson from the City of Beaumont said all of it’s financial information is listed on the city site and that the city is in the process of turning that information over to the state within two weeks.

But Desert Hot Springs hasn’t provided an answer.

“I think it’s a little fishy,” said Katherine Hoy, a resident of Desert Hot Springs.

“They’re all a bunch of thieves,” said Joan Gaul, who has lived in Desert Hot Springs for more than 26 years.

News Channel 3 reported in August the salaries earned by Desert Hot Springs elected officials. But that information was only made available because of a Freedom of Information Act request.

A full list of salaries and compensation of city employees are not listed on the city’s website.

“I think we need a better government — a better guide,” said a resident who wished to remain anonymous. “People that are more conscious.”

“Most places tell if they’ve got nothing to hide,” said Gaul. “Why not tell it? That’s the way I feel.”

City manager Rick Daniels declined to speak to News Channel 3, and phone calls placed with the assistant city manager and communications department were not answered.

“Transparency — yes. That’s something that is important for every city,” said Allen Howe, a spokesperson for Cathedral City. “The public needs to know what it’s city is doing and how they’re conducting the city’s business.”

Howe said the salaries and compensation for employees have been available on their website for at least four years and that information is also now available on the new state controllers website.

“I think the City of Bell story certainly was important to the public,” said Howe. “They saw that story and they were quite upset and rightfully so.”

“In its very basicness, these are public tax dollars,” said David Ready, the city manager of Palm Springs. “It’s important that people understand where they’re going.”

Palm Springs has had the salaries of it’s elected officials posted on its website for several months, according to Ready. But he said that list was expanded to all city employees after the Bell scandal broke out.

“It’s all public information for anyone to have who would like it,” said Ready. “There’s nothing to hide. It’s all public.”

83 percent of all state cities and counties have complied with the new reporting requirements.

Cities or counties that fail to comply face a $5,000 penalty.

Check out the list here.