The city of Oakland, California is currently operating at the intersection of dysfunction and self-parody.
As a story in today's San Francisco Chronicle notes, the city has spent nearly $1 million in legal costs combating sexual harassment claims from the former City Administrator and her primary assistant. Both were at-will employees and both were let go in 2008. From there the plot only thickens.
As a story in today's San Francisco Chronicle notes, the city has spent nearly $1 million in legal costs combating sexual harassment claims from the former City Administrator and her primary assistant. Both were at-will employees and both were let go in 2008. From there the plot only thickens.
The City Administrator, Deborah Edgerly, was removed amidst accusations that she tipped off her nephew, a convicted felon, to a police gang sweep. The nephew, who has gun and drug convictions in his past, is now serving time in state prison.
The details only get more bizarre. Cheryl Thompson, the assistant, is alleging that she was promised a severance package in addition to her base pay, which was -- wait for it -- $216,000 a year. The Oakland City Council, now weary of the legal wrangling with Thompson, recently agreed to a $500,000 payout for her to simply go away.
If you want to understand California's public sector problems in microcosm, there's no better case. A bureaucrat's secretary gets paid nearly a quarter of million dollars a year, then the city spends three years and more than half a million dollars (the total legal fees to the city for Thompson's case is $571,000) fighting her in court without a decision and finally taxpayers end up on the hook for another half-million to silence her.
Pity Oakland. At least Athens has a tourism industry.
The details only get more bizarre. Cheryl Thompson, the assistant, is alleging that she was promised a severance package in addition to her base pay, which was -- wait for it -- $216,000 a year. The Oakland City Council, now weary of the legal wrangling with Thompson, recently agreed to a $500,000 payout for her to simply go away.
If you want to understand California's public sector problems in microcosm, there's no better case. A bureaucrat's secretary gets paid nearly a quarter of million dollars a year, then the city spends three years and more than half a million dollars (the total legal fees to the city for Thompson's case is $571,000) fighting her in court without a decision and finally taxpayers end up on the hook for another half-million to silence her.
Pity Oakland. At least Athens has a tourism industry.
Join the conversation