|
|
PRESS RELEASE
March 25, 2013
|
|
For Immediate Release
Contact: James Franko
316.634.0218
|
|
|
|
State Gov't Payroll Dip $2 Million, $1.9 Billion Total Paid to Employees
Overtime and $100K+ Salaries Both Increase Updated Database Shows
|
March 25, 2013 - Wichita - As the Kansas Legislature continues to debate the budget, new data gives a better picture of how much the state spends on payroll. 2012 calendar year payroll data for all state employees is now available at KansasOpenGov.Org and updates a fully searchable database that stretches back to 2007.
Total pay decreased by 0.1%, going from $1,928,701,980.08 in 2011 to $1,926,646,425.25. KansasOpenGov.org contains only official government reporting data obtained via Kansas Open Records Act requests and is operated by Kansas Policy Institute; the site also includes information for overtime, total payroll by agency, and state employees earning over $100,000. Overtime for Regents universities is included in total earnings but is not broken out separately because that information is not provided to the State. Payroll expenditures for Regents universities increased $40 million last year, or 4.1%. Meanwhile, payroll expenditures for all other state agencies declined by $42 million, or 4.5%.
"A $42 million decline in non-Regents payroll indicates that the Brownback administration and Legislature are beginning to reduce the size of state government," said KPI President Dave Trabert. "The $40 million pay increase at Regents universities, on the other hand, was twice the rate of inflation and nearly wiped out other savings. Total Regents spending has also grown at nearly twice the rate of inflation over the last five fiscal years. Taxpayers deserve to have all areas of government operate more efficiently, not just some agencies."
Overtime spending jumped 28% to $13,209,899.73 in 2012 from 2011's $10,341,876.06 and 221 employees took home at least $10,000 in overtime pay, up from 149 employees in 2011. 2,056 state employees collected at least $100,000 in total pay last year as well, compared to 1,931 in 2011. The highest paid employee was the executive vice chancellor of the KU Medical Center ($789,927.94) while the highest non-Regents employee was a physician specialist at the Osawatomie State Hospital ($210,914.86).
All of the payroll data on KansasOpenGov.Org reflect total pay and include all types of earnings, but excludes benefits such as health care and KPERS.
Trabert continued, "The large increase in overtime indicates that much more efficiency efforts are still needed. Legislators are sometimes told that higher overtime results from not having enough employees, but the Department of Transportation managed to reduce overtime by 16% while also reducing staff last year. It may not be possible to eliminate overtime but it's hard to understand why positions like executive secretary and program consultants consistently collect over $20,000 annually in overtime. That's just not a good use of state tax dollars.
"The only way that citizens and legislators can make fully informed spending decisions is to clearly understand how tax dollars are being spent. KansasOpenGov.org aims to do just that," concluded Trabert.
|
|
# # #
Kansas Policy Institute is an independent think-tank that advocates for free market solutions and the protection of personal freedom for all Kansans. Our work centers on state and local economic policy with primary emphasis on education, fiscal policy and health care. We empower citizens, legislators and other government officials with objective research and creative ideas to promote a low-tax, pro-growth environment that preserves the ability of governments to provide high quality services. To speak with Kansas Policy Institute, please contact James Franko at (316) 634-0218.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
