Aurora Activist Group Publishes City Employee Payroll and Benefits Cost Data

 Press Release from CRAG, reprinted in full:

For Immediate Release:
February 4, 2010

(Aurora) - Citizens for Responsible Aurora Government (CRAG), recently filed a Colorado Open Record Act (CORA) request with the City of Aurora, seeking employee data related to pay and benefits.  Some highlights of the data included:

- The highest paid employees make over $200,000 per year in salary and benefits
- Ninety Four City employees have a salary over $100,000 per year
- Average annual salaries for all City of Aurora employees, which includes all full and part time employees, approaches $60,000

After successfully opposing the city's November 2009 property tax increase ballot measure (4A), which would have raised the city component of Aurora property taxes by 40%, CRAG wanted to identify current employee compensation.  During the campaign, the city sited the shortfall in the budget, but the idea of reducing employee pay or benefits to help with the shortfall, was never entertained.

The information that the city provided was current as of July 6, 2009 and included all regular employees (both full and part time).  The data included employee name/job title/salary or wage rate and each employee's combined benefit package cost. The data did not include any contract, seasonal or temporary employees or overtime pay.

On July 6, 2009 there were 2666 regular full and part time employees.

The average pay of all employees (which includes both full and part time) was $59,867.
The average employee benefits cost (which includes both full and part time) was $17,395.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics [May 2008 Metropolitan and Non-metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Denver-Aurora, CO] the mean wage rate for all occupations in the Denver-Aurora area is $47,150.

http://www.bls.gov/oes/2008/may/oes_19740.htm#b00-0000

CRAG believes that City employees ought to bear some of the costs for making up the budget shortfalls that the city is currently dealing with.  Along with potential pay and benefit decreases, future contract increases should be put on hold until there is a turnaround in the local economy.  Voters in Aurora have had to tighten their belts and reduce their personal spending.  The city should be no different.  Continuing to operate business as usual will no long work.

CRAG has posted the employee pay data in a searchable database on the CRAG web site at:

http://www.concernedaurora.com

You can also download a complete copy of the employee data provided by the city.

Citizens For Responsible Aurora Government is a citizens group dedicated to accountability, transparency, and fiscal responsibility in the city of Aurora, Colorado

For additional information from CRAG you can contact Jim Frye at 720.998.6440 or:

http://www.concernedaurora.com/contact/