In December of 2007, Phase I of The Salary Project was first published with information gathered from 65 local jurisdictions in 2 states funded by taxpayers. Shortly after that project launched, many of you contacted us asking for the same public information from additional cities, towns, counties and utility services saying you, too, wanted to know exactly how your tax money was being allocated.

We listened, and spent three more months gathering public information salary data from an additional 26 jurisdictions. That information is now included in this database so that you can make your own comparisons and determinations about how your tax dollars are being spent.

The names and numbers you’ll find were pulled together over the course of close to a year and a half. Some information is from the 2006-2007 fiscal year, while some may be as current as the first months of 2008.

Our purpose in gathering the information – data that state laws mandate must be made available to anyone who asks – was primarily to create a comprehensive searchable database by which we and you could study pay trends, similarities and disparities across our region. Along the way we learned many lessons in how our local governments, school systems and utilities interpret the Open Records Acts of each state, the laws that are designed to ensure you have access to information.

Some jurisdictions complied quickly and completely. Others argued with the spirit of the law. And still others chose to ignore the requests and hope we’d simply quit asking for public information.

We won’t, and we haven’t – because it’s your money and the law says you have a right to the information.