Professional ‘Allowance’ Boosts Supervisors’ Pay

One week after receiving a budget that calls for cuts in virtually every department, Los Angeles County supervisors Tuesday approved for themselves a $350-a-month “professional development allowance” that effectively will increase their pay by 4%, to $103,497 a year.

“We’re going to be criticized and rightly so,” said Supervisor Gloria Molina, a newcomer to the board who cast the only vote against the allowance, which also will be awarded to 33 county department heads and 238 Superior Court judges.

The allowance is designed to help pay for books, home computers, seminars and similar items that can help county officials better do their jobs, said Chief Administrative Officer Richard B. Dixon. There is, however, no requirement that the money be spent for “professional development.” Molina characterized it as a 4% salary increase when other county workers are to receive a 2.7% raise.

Molina contended that the action could hurt the county’s chances of obtaining more state aid to avert budget cuts. “I think it’s going to be regarded as something self-serving at a very inappropriate time,” she said.

Defending the allowance, Supervisor Kenneth Hahn said, “We’re the head of the largest local government in America.” He asked Dixon how much the supervisors would earn if they worked in private industry.

“Probably in the millions,” Dixon said. “If you were a private corporation, you would rank somewhere between 40th and 50th in the Fortune 500.”

Mayor Tom Bradley earns $117,884 a year and City Council members make $90,680 a year. Gov. Pete Wilson’s annual salary is $120,000.

Supervisors Mike Antonovich and Ed Edelman joined Hahn in extending the allowance to supervisors. Although Molina objected to the allowance for supervisors and department heads, she did not object to giving it to judges. Supervisor Deane Dana was absent.

Under the County Charter, supervisors’ pay is tied to the salaries of Superior Court judges. Judicial salaries are set by the state Legislature. Supervisors, however, are empowered to vote themselves--and other county employees, including judges--additional benefits such as the “professional development allowance,” Dixon said.

“We’re worth more than a Superior Court judge,” Hahn said.

Edelman added, “We’re not talking about big dollars.”

Dixon said he intended to spend the additional money on a home computer. Antonovich said his allowance would go to charity. Hahn and Molina did not say how they would spend the additional $350 a month.