In the late 2000s, the small Southern California town of Bell erupted in a scandal that revealed a truly astonishing level
of municipal corruption— described by Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley as “corruption
on steroids.” This book details how Bell was rendered vulnerable to such massive malfeasance
by a disengaged public, lack of established ethical norms, absence of effective checks
and balances, and minimal coverage by an overextended area news media. It is a grim and
nearly unbelievable story. By considering factors arising from both theory and practice,
Reilly makes clear why the sad saga of Bell, California, represents both a case study
and a warning.
"Using this book, practitioners will be challenged and prompted to consider several critical questions, including: How can
public trust be regained? and How can public engagement be spurred and sustained?"
-Ramona Denby-Brinson, Arizona State University
"This book replete with scandalous details, as well as insightful interpretations and suggestions for reform..."
-U.S Rep. Dina Titus, 1st District of Nevada; emeritus professor of political science,
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
"Thom Reilly provides an in-depth analysis of the sordid details and broad schemes of this massive corruption."
-Chester A. Newland, Senior Professor of Public Administration, University of the Paci
c McGeorge School of Law
"Virtually every page prompts substantive discussion topics for the reader. This is a must-read not only for students of
government, administration and public policy, but for every concerned citizen."
-Kathryn Landreth, former United States Attorney for the District of Nevada
Pensions. Policies, New Reforms and Current Challenges
The ongoing global financial crisis, coupled with the continued dramatic increases in life expectancy, have escalated the
concerns countries have regarding the sustainability of their pension systems and how
these retirement schemes will be financed. From 1998 to 2008, close to 30 countries embarked
on privatizing reforms to their pension programs. Some of these countries introduced
new pension reforms directed at private individual accounts while reducing the size of
the state social security system. The focus of other reforms during this period varied
but was primarily aimed at strengthening basic protection for economically at-risk older
individuals, increasing benefit coverage and/or improving the overall fiscal sustainability
of these systems. However, the move towards greater coverage and sustainability was interrupted
by the worldwide financial meltdown. This has led to a reassessment of pension systems
and reform approaches. This volume was assembled to review the status of pension reforms
globally and to gain a glimpse of the trends emerging as countries adjust to the new
age of macroeconomic worldwide uncertainty. The chapters in this volume provide concise,
clear and dispassionate discussions on these trends and reforms as well as frank appraisals
of the consequences of alternative policies. Experts from Europe, the United States and
the emerging economies of Brazil, China and India approach pension reform and reassessment
from different perspectives; however, each provide forthright analyses and assessment
of the consequences of the “new normal”.
Rethinking Public Sector Compensation
Designed as a comprehensive overview of public sector compensation, the book addresses strategies for change, with the author
warning that failure of the profession to address this issue will ultimately lead to
citizens taking matters in their own hands. The author's issues-oriented approach addresses
his core message-that the escalation of public sector compensation is impacting the ability
of government to meet its core responsibility and the failure of government to address
this has serious consequences. Not just a critique, the book presents context, analysis,
and suggestions for reform.
""This provocative analysis documents mutation away from ideals of governmental service devoted to public interests into
a political culture of public employment in principal pursuit of self interests. It shows
in detail how personal entitlements of many public officials and employees have been
greatly expanded in high disregard of future sustainability."
-Chester A. Newland, Senior Professor of Public Administration, University of the Paci
c McGeorge School of Law
"Key policy makers and individuals would be remiss not to include a detailed review of the public sector in the Nation’s
debate about compensation and the financial crisis. Thom Reilly’s thoughtful analysis
of the shift in culture and compensation in the public sector reveals nuances that only
a long-standing, executive-level civil servant could provide. This informed perspective,
coupled with insightful and balanced analysis, provides a uniquely comprehensive look
at one of the most critical issues of our day. Rethinking Public –Sector Compensation:
What Ever Happened to the Public Interest’ should be required reading for policy-makers,
students and individuals who desire clear information from which to guide opinions, legislative
and regulatory changes."
-Heather H. Murren, CFA, Former Commissioner Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission
Dr. Thom Reilly is currently the Chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education. The chancellor is appointed by the
Board of Regents to serve as chief executive officer for the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE).
He supervises the eight NSHE presidents and ensures the Board of Regents polices are implemented
throughout the system. As Chancellor, he is the system liaison with the Governor, state legislators,
and other public officials and community leaders.
He was appointed by the Board to serve as NSHE’s chancellor starting August 2017. Prior to his appointment, he served as
director of the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University where he also was
a professor in the School of Public Affairs. He currently is a Fellow of the National Academy of
Public Administration and professor emeritus at San Diego State University.
He previously served five years as County Manager for Clark County (the Las Vegas Valley), where he provided both regional
and municipal-type services. As CEO, he was responsible for the fiscal management of the County’s
$5.8 billion budget and administrative oversight of close to 12,000 employees.
Reilly has extensive experience in the private sector, serving as managing principal of The Reilly Group, a management consulting
firm and as former vice president of social responsibility at Caesars Entertainment, Inc.
He has held senior administrative positions with the State of Nevada, overseeing income maintenance programs and the statewide
child welfare system. He also was a former director and professor for the School of Social Work at
San Diego State University.
Reilly has authored numerous published works on public pay and benefits, governance, HIV, and child welfare. He and his work
have appeared on NPR's "Here and Now," PBS NewsHour, CNN Money, and Fox Business News, and in The
New York Times, , Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Law 360, Governing, Businessweek and The Associated
Press. He is co-editor of the Ethics, Corruption and Governance Series for Rowman & Littlefield Lexington
Books.
In 2016, Reilly was honored nationally with the Anti-Corruption Award, sponsored by the New York City Independence Clubs,
in acknowledgement of “the landmark work the Morrison Institute is doing to understand the emerging
independent voter constituency.”
He received his master's and doctorate of public administration from the University of Southern California. He earned his
master of social work at ASU and a bachelor in social work from the University of Memphis.
The quality of local governance matters more than ever before.
To many citizens, their local government is the most tangible form of government, and it is also the layer of government
with which they have most contact in their everyday life. The power of local administration is
that it represents ordinary citizens. People eat, drink, work, play and socialize with others
in towns and cities. To be fully effective, local government management and service delivery
capacity need to be strong, and resources need to be adequate. Civil society and businesses are
essential actors in ensuring local governments have this capacity to meet the needs of its citizens.
There are a host of challenges that confront local government in the 21st century: delivering quality services; lack of finance
and local fiscal autonomy; engaging citizens and communities in meaningful and authentic ways;
forming effective partnerships which incentivize local actors to find solutions to the many complex
and intractable issues facing communities; generating inclusive and sustainable development;
implementing strategies for disaster risk reduction; managing transparent communications; and,
rapidly evolving technologies and socio-economic demographics.
The Governance of Local Communities: Global Perspectives and Challenges is about the role
that ideas, institutions, and actors play in structuring how people govern local communities
and, more specifically, the types of adaptations necessary in local government roles and responsibilities,
structures, and processes to effectively respond to a changing local government environment.
Global changes require that we rethink local governance. A wide net of international experts on local governance was assembled
for this volume to stimulate frank conversations around the many contemporary challenges facing
local government.
“How could this have happened?” The question still lingers among officials and residents of the small southern California
town of Bell. Corruption is hardly an isolated challenge to the governance of America’s cities.
But following decades of benign obscurity, Bell witnessed the emergence of a truly astonishing
level of public wrongdoing – a level succinctly described by Los Angeles District Attorney Steve
Cooley as “corruption on steroids.”
Even discounting the enormous sums involved – the top administrator paid himself nearly $800,000 a year in a town with a
$35,000 average income – this was no ordinary failure of governance. The picture that emerges
from years of federal, state and local investigations, trials, depositions and media accounts
is of an elaborate culture of corruption and deceit created and sustained by top city administrators,
councilmembers, police officers, numerous municipal employees and consultants.
The Failure of Governance in Bell California: Big-Time Corruption in a Small Town details
how Bell was rendered vulnerable to such massive malfeasance by a poorly educated and disengaged
public, lack of established ethical norms, absence of effective checks and balances, and minimal
coverage by an overextended area news media. It is a grim and nearly unbelievable story.
Yet even these factors fail to fully explain how such large-scale corruption could have arisen. More specifically, how did
it occur within a structure – the council-manager form of government – that had been deliberately
designed to promote good governance? Why were so many officials and employees prepared to participate
in or overlook the ongoing corruption? To what degree can theories of governance, such as contagion
theory or the “rover bandit” theme, explain the success of such blatant wrongdoing?
The Failure of Governance, by Arizona State University Professor Thom Reilly – himself former
manager of Clark County, Nevada – pursues answers to these and related questions through an analysis
of municipal operations that will afford the reader deeper insight into the inner workings of
city governments – corrupt and otherwise. By considering factors arising from both theory and
practice, Reilly makes clear, in other words, why the sad saga of Bell, California represents
both a case study and a warning.
"Public administration practitioners, teachers, and researchers are truly the beneficiaries of this work. This book provides
a roadmap with mile markers that are a public sector ethical lens through which to view the requisite
conditions that enable massive public corruption. Using this book, practitioners will be challenged
and prompted to consider several critical questions, including: How can public trust be regained?
and How can public engagement be spurred and sustained?"
Read full review -Ramona Denby-Brinson, Arizona State University
Corruption is widespread in American local government, producing more than 1,000 indictments annually. Reilly (Arizona State
Univ.) chronicles such a case in Bell, CA (population 35,000), a low-income community in which
seven public officials were eventually sentenced to prison. In 2010, two reporters with the Los
Angeles Times uncovered excessively high salaries and a cluster of crimes in city hall. Trials
soon followed, and by 2012, new officials were seated and order restored to Bell. The most prominent
offender was Robert Rizzo, city administrator for 17 years, who built alliances with other council
members and administrators to cover their misdeeds. Several factors contributed to this misconduct:
unethical leadership by officials, lack of media coverage of city affairs, a breakdown in the
checks and balances normally built into local governance, a culture of corruption that residents
tolerated or were unaware of, and lack of attention by county and state authorities. This is
a well-documented analysis of conditions that could exist in many governments and provides a
warning to all citizens.
Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals.
-Choice Reviews
“Reilly’s excellent account of corruption in local government is written with the expertise of a scholar who is uent in theory
and the acumen of a practitioner who has witnessed such behavior up close and personal. This
book replete with scandalous details, as well as insightful interpretations and suggestions for
reform, will have broad appeal with the general public, for local administrators and in the classroom.”
-U.S Rep. Dina Titus, 1st District of Nevada; emeritus professor of political science, University
of Nevada, Las Vegas
“Far beyond wildly unimaginable ction, this reality-based book is an importantly great read on public affairs. It tells the
story of a decade of Big Time Corruption in Bell, California – years of self-serving exercise
of power shared among of cials in deliberately agrant violation of legal standards and other
fundamentals of public service. Beyond that, Bell is also a sad case of sustained failure of
professional, civic, legal, academic, and other institutions upon which society depends for responsible
public affairs. As a former professional manager of Clark County (Las Vegas), Nevada, and now
a leading public-policy academician, Thom Reilly provides an in-depth analysis of the sordid
details and broad schemes of this massive corruption. His deeply informed analysis of The Failure
of Governance in Bell, California, warrants study by civic leaders, political of cials, professional
local-government managers, and students who hope to enter these public-service roles. It provides
swift and hopefully lasting learning about abhorrent practices of all-too-easy corruption, thereby
elevating understanding of necessities of elevated aspirations and practices of responsible government
and other public affairs.”
-Chester A. Newland, Senior Professor of Public Administration, University of the Paci c McGeorge
School of Law; Duggan Distinguished Professor of Public Administration Emeritus, University
of Southern California
“Thom Reilly depicts the almost unbelievable levels of greed and corruption that brought an entire municipal government to
its knees. His incisive narrative not only carefully details the many enabling conditions that
allowed this brazen looting of a small, vulnerable community to occur, but also skillfully incorporates
an analysis of cultural norms and governmental structures that historically have been designed
to deter corruption. Virtually every page prompts substantive discussion topics for the reader.
This is a must-read not only for students of government, administration and public policy, but
for every concerned citizen. The account of the systematic and unchallenged dismantling of checks
and balances and external safeguards against graft serves as a cautionary tale to anyone who
thinks it couldn’t happen in their community.”
-Kathryn Landreth, former United States Attorney for the District of Nevada
In his book, Reilly states that the current system is unsustainable and reform must include more
transparency,education and engagement of the public as well as:
Implementing changes and scaling back benefits to public sector pension and other post retirement
options like moving public employees to a 401 (k) style plan or hybrid model that is portable
from employer to employer;
Eliminating components of the civil service system that governs public pay so the focus is centered
on rewarding performance, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking; rather than the current
system that is skewed too heavily towards time-served and job security; and
Prohibiting conflicts of interest among elected official, public managers and employee unions
in awarding compensation and benefits
In addition to suggested reform, Reilly offers two unique and valuable features in his the book including
a detailed model of public-versus-private sector compensation, constructed to gauge the cost
of lifetime compensation, and his model of the "Iron Triangle" to illustrate how elected politicians,
management and labor representatives engage in nontransparent discussions involving public pay
and benefits.
In his book, Reilly states that the current system is unsustainable and reform must include more
transparency,education and engagement of the public as well as:
Implementing changes and scaling back benefits to public sector pension and other post retirement
options like moving public employees to a 401 (k) style plan or hybrid model that is portable
from employer to employer;
Eliminating components of the civil service system that governs public pay so the focus is centered
on rewarding performance, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking; rather than the current
system that is skewed too heavily towards time-served and job security; and
Prohibiting conflicts of interest among elected official, public managers and employee unions
in awarding compensation and benefits
In addition to suggested reform, Reilly offers two unique and valuable features in his the book including
a detailed model of public-versus-private sector compensation, constructed to gauge the cost
of lifetime compensation, and his model of the "Iron Triangle" to illustrate how elected politicians,
management and labor representatives engage in nontransparent discussions involving public pay
and benefits.
"In 2007, the stock market started a slow decline and reached a floor early in 2009 before it began to reverse itself. This
negative cycle had catastrophic effects on housing markets, employment, and every other economic
engine that churned capitalism around the world. As a result, public sector compensation in the
United States became an increasingly important topic as state and local governments sorted through
budget austerity. In short, this book examines how public sector employees (primarily state and
local) are compensated, rewarded, and managed."
Read Full Review.-Charles E. Menifield, University of Missouri–Columbia
"This provocative analysis documents mutation away from ideals of governmental service devoted to public interests into a
political culture of public employment in principal pursuit of self interests. It shows in detail
how personal entitlements of many public officials and employees have been greatly expanded in
high disregard of future sustainability."
-Chester A. Newland, Senior Professor of Public Administration, University of the Paci c McGeorge
School of Law
"Key policy makers and individuals would be remiss not to include a detailed review of the public sector in the Nation’s
debate about compensation and the financial crisis. Thom Reilly’s thoughtful analysis of the
shift in culture and compensation in the public sector reveals nuances that only a long-standing,
executive-level civil servant could provide. This informed perspective, coupled with insightful
and balanced analysis, provides a uniquely comprehensive look at one of the most critical issues
of our day. Rethinking Public –Sector Compensation: What Ever Happened to the Public Interest’
should be required reading for policy-makers, students and individuals who desire clear information
from which to guide opinions, legislative and regulatory changes."
-Heather H. Murren, CFA, Former Commissioner Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission
"Public employee compensation is a hot topic. Taxpayers know intuitively that something’s not quite right. Yet it’s so complex,
it can’t be spelled out in simple terms. Thom Reilly has managed to explain it, drawing on his
varied career experience. He’s used his knowledge of the public and private sectors, and his
nonprofit background, to turn out an objective discussion of the public employees, their unions,
and the relationships elected officials have with both. Taxpayers, who pick up the tab for all
of it, will appreciate this concise look at the politics and archaic policies that govern public
employee compensation. The book is a must-read for elected officials, students of government,
and anyone who pays taxes."
-Carole Vilardo, President Nevada Taxpayers Association
"Reilly offers a thoughtful breakdown of the intensely debated and complex issue of public sector compensation. He offers
insightful analysis on policies that could help relieve the stranglehold that these types of
financial obligations have placed on the ability of governments across the country to effectively
serve the public interest. Reilly is uniquely qualified to offer a thorough perspective on public
employee pension funds and compensation practices, the effect that funding these obligations
are having on government, and policy changes that could work towards alleviating this burden.
He offers practical and common sense solutions that are rightly centered on the public interest.
This book is highly recommended to those concerned about the ability of government to deliver
core public services."
-Sig Rogich President, The Rogich Communications Group Former US Ambassador to Iceland and Assistant
to the President for President George H.W Bush
Reilly, T.
(2013). Comparing Public-Versus-Private Sector Pay and Benefits: Examining Lifetime Compensation.
Public Personnel Management., 42(4), 521-544.
Reilly, T.
(2012). Public Pensions and Retiree Health Care in Nevada: An Analysis.
The Nevada Review Journal, (4) 2, 3-28.
Reilly, T., Woodruff, S., Smith, L., Clapp, J., and Cade, J. (2010). Unsafe Sex
Among HIV- Positive Individuals: Cross-Sectional and Prospective Predictors.
Journal of Community Health, 35 (2): 115-122.
Reilly, T. & Platz, L. (2004). Post adoption service needs of families with
special needs children: Use, helpfulness, and unmet needs.
Journal of Social Service Research, 30 (4), 51-67.
Reilly, T. (2003). Transition from care: The status and outcomes of youth who
have aged out of the foster care system.
Child Welfare, 82 (6), 727-746.
Clapp, J., Imig, D. &
Reilly, T. (2001). Creating opportunities for authentic citizen involvement:
Neighborhood Services in the Las Vegas Valley.
Journal of Applied Social Sciences, 25 (2), 19-29. (Order of authorship is alphabetical).
Reilly, T. (1998). Communities in conflict: Resolving differences through collaborative
efforts in environmental planning and human service delivery.
Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 25(3), 117-144.
Hardcastle, G., Ley, L., &
Reilly, T. (1996). Permanency planning in Nevada: Judicial, administrative and
citizen involvement.
The Court Manager, 2(2), 8-14. (Order of authorship is alphabetical).
Reilly, T.
(2013). Rethinking The Role of the Profession on Public Sector Compensation.
Public Administration Review,(73) 1, 8-9.
Reilly, T., and Reed, M. (2011). Budget Shortfalls, Employee Compensation and Collective
Bargaining in Local Governments.
State and Local Government Review.
43 (3), 215- 223.
Reilly, T., Schoener, S. & Bolin, A. (2007). Public Sector Compensation in Local
Governments: An Analysis.
Review of Public Personnel Administration, 27 (1), 39 -58.
Reilly, T., Smith, L., Woodruff, S.I., Clapp, J.D., and Cade, J. (2010) Predictors
of Death and Survival Duration among a Sample of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS.
Social Work in Health Care, 49 (9), 783- 798.
Smith, L. &
Reilly, T. (2005). Reasons for unsafe sex among a community sample of people
with HIV/AIDS.
Health and Social Work, 41 (2), 71-83.
Reilly, T. & Platz, L. (2003). Characteristics and challenges of families who
adopt children with special needs: An empirical study.
Children and Youth Services Review, 25 (20), 781-803.
Reilly, T. & Woo, G. (2003). Access to services and maintenance of safer sex
practices in HIV+ persons.
Social Work in Health Care, 36 (2), 81-95.
Reilly, T. & Petersen, N. (1997). Nevada’s university-state partnership: A comprehensive
alliance for improved services to children and families.
Public Welfare, 55(2), 21-28.
Reilly, T. (1996). Gay and lesbian adoptions: A theoretical examination of policy-making
and organizational decision making.
Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 23(4), 99-115.
Thom, Michael &
Reilly, Thom
(2015). Compensation Benchmarking Practices in U.S. Local Governments: Results of a National Survey.
Public Personnel Management, 44(3), 340-355.
Reilly, T. (2006). Theory to Practice Commentary. Managing Public-Service Contracts:
Aligning Values, Institutions, and Markets.
Public Administration Review, 66 (3), 322 (77-81).
Reilly, T. & Woo, G. (2004). Social support and the maintenance of safer sex
practices among people living with HIV/AIDS.
Health and Social Work, 29 (2), 97 –105.
Reilly, T. & Woo, G. (2001). Predictors of high-risk sexual behavior among people
living with HIV/AIDS.
AIDS and Behavior, 5 (3), 205 -217
Reilly, T. (2007). Management in Local Governments: An Evolving Landscape.
Administration in Social Work, 31 (2), 49-66.
Albers, E.,
Reilly, T. & Rittner, B., (1993). Children in foster care: Possible factors
affecting permanency planning.
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 10(4), 329-341. (Order of authorship is alphabetical).
Bitonti, C., Albers, E. &
Reilly, T. (1996). Multicultural competence in Nevada human services: A statewide
survey.
Journal of Multicultural Social Work, 4(4), 67-83.
Nevada colleges want to raise their graduation rate; now they're giving themselves deadlines The Nevada System of Higher Education is renewing its focus on what might seem like a few simple goals — making sure that students who enter its doors one semester come back the next and that they cross the graduation stage in their caps and gowns within a reasonable period of time...
Read more from the Nevada Independent
NSHE chancellor brushes off north-south split as “a tired discussion” Thom Reilly knows there are many lenses a person can use to view the higher-education system here in Nevada...
Read more from the Nevada Current
Chancellor Thom Reilly lays out goals for future as regents evaluate his first year at the helm It’s been just over a year since Chancellor Thom Reilly took over at the Nevada System of Higher Education — on the heels of the fraught departure of former Chancellor Dan Klaich...
Read more on thenevadaindependent.com
Who's To Blame For UNLV Chaos? The last three or so weeks have been some of the most controversial in recent times for
UNLV and the higher education system in Nevada...
Listen on KNPR.org
Nevada education officials dismiss Trump policy, citing importance of diversity A new Trump administration policy that would allow colleges to take a race-neutral approach
in the admissions process runs counter to the route taken by Nevada’s higher education institutions,
local education officials say...
Read more from the LVRJ
Leader wants to see more gains for Nevada college students At a time when the state’s colleges are inwardly focused on their own strategic growth,
they’re also being asked to look beyond Nevada’s borders for ways to make gains in student
success...
Read more from the LVRJ
The Murky World of ‘Official Time’ in Government "Official time," or union business leave (UBL), is widely practiced at all levels of government...
Read more from Governing.com
Gamechangers: USC, ASU, Independent Voting Partner to Challenge Two-Party Academia Arguably, academia is as guilty as the media, the politicians, and the two major parties
themselves, of promoting partisanship...
Read more from IVN.US
EDITORIAL: The public-sector gravy train News that about one-fifth of all Clark County workers pulled in more than $100,000 last
year only further highlights the generous employment terms available to many public employees...
Read more from the LVRJ
Pension Reform Must Come Before Tax Hike Before lobbying the legislature to raise Nevadans’ taxes yet again—its property taxes this
time—incoming Clark County chief executive officer Yolanda King should heed the advice of
one of her predecessors: Dr. Thom Reilly...
Read more from forbes.com
ASU Researchers Explore Media Consumption Among Political Parties, Impact Of Independents The recently-completed election and the lengthy campaign leading up to it indicated that
the partisanship we’ve seen growing in the United States seems to have cemented even more...
Read more from KJZZ.org
Thom Reilly interviewed on Arizona Horizon Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy is releasing a new poll
on the presidential race. We’ll get the results.
Watch on Arizona PBS
The Bell Tolls: Big-Time Corruption In A Small Town Bell, Calif., is one of the smallest and poorest cities in Los Angeles County, but until
the beginning of the decade, its top city administrator had a pay and benefits package worth
$1.5 million a year.
Listen on KNPR
The Impact Of Ballot Measures In Arizona
The Republican Party’s Strategy to Ignore Poverty Arizona, where I was born, in July became the first state to cut poor families’ access to
welfare assistance to a maximum of 12 months over a lifetime. That’s a fifth of the time
allowed under federal law, and means that 5,000 more people will lose their benefits by next
June.
Read more from NY Times
Government Agencies Face Staffing Shortages As More Workers Retire Listen
at KJZZ.org
ARIZONA WELFARE CZAR TIM JEFFRIES PUTS SPIRITUAL SPIN ON MASS FIRINGS, BENEFITS CUTS
TO THOUSANDS OF POOR FAMILIES In more than 1,600 Arizona households with children, families are wondering how they'll
cope with losing welfare benefits...
Read more from Phoenix New Times
Vacation Carryovers Cost County Despite a 2003 effort to limit the number of unused vacation days employees can carry
over, Champaign County workers have accumulated more than 62,000 hours of unused vacation...
Read more from The News-Gazette
Thom Reilly - Day Of Reckoning Coming For Public Pensions Thom Reilly was Manager of Clark County Nevada. Now he’s teaching and trying to reform
the public pension system before it crashes and burns...
Read more from FSN
For Cary Tennis Park Manager, Checks Come With A Bonus Since 2005, Sean Ferreira has managed Cary’s 29-court tennis center for a salary that
has now reached nearly $60,000, about the same as a veteran firefighter...
Read more from The Cary News
North Las Vegas Has High Hopes For Shared Services Agreement The city of Las Vegas is coming to the aid of its economic ailing neighbor to the north
with staff time and energy as well as money to hire a financial analysis firm...
Read more from the LVRJ
Unique Perks Help Keep Public Sector’s Top Jobs Competitive, Expert Says After showering city manager Betsy Fretwell with praise during its most recent meeting,
the Las Vegas City Council voiced unanimous support for giving Fretwell a raise, her
first since 2009...
Read more from the Las Vegas Sun
Police Seek Sales Tax Boost To Hire More Cops Clark County consumers could pay more for everything from accordions to zippers if police
can persuade the state Legislature to approve their plan to tap a new sales tax aimed
at putting more police on the street...
Read more from LVRJ
San Jose Pension Battle Raises Potential For Broader Cuts San Jose, Calif., employee unions are urging a state court at trial this week to block
a citywide public pension reform measure approved by voters last year, but experts say
a decision upholding the initiative could trigger a wave of similar measures in California
and other states to reduce local governments’ pension obligations...
Read more from Law360
Board's Insurance Perks 'Excessive' Three of five board members for the Desert Healthcare District took taxpayer-funded
health insurance benefits for themselves, their spouses and in some cases their adult
children worth more than $30,000 for each director last year, records obtained by The
Desert Sun through the California Public Records Act show...
Read more from mydesert.com
Sick Leave Causes Headaches For Governments Sick leave would seem to be a trivial issue for city, county and state governments...
Read more from governing.com
Regional Transportation Commission Pay Raises: Proposed Contract A Bad Deal For Taxpayers The administrators of the Regional Transportation Commission and their opposite numbers
at the Service Employees International Union had their pre-nuptial agreement all worked
out earlier this month...
Read more from the LVRJ
San Diego Pension Battle Could Drive Broader Reforms The California Supreme Court may be looking to weigh in on a case involving challenges
to San Diego’s pension reform initiative that voters passed last month, and if it does,
a decision is likely to spur broader efforts to reduce public workers' pension plans,
a legal expert told Law360 on Monday...
Read more from LAW 360
Las Vegas Officials Push Gainsharing To Keep Lid On Firefighters Wages Las Vegas city officials seeking to keep a lid on firefighter wages and benefits are
pushing for a novel pay system that lets employees share the proceeds of cost savings,
as opposed to basing salary increases on guaranteed raises...
Read more from the Las Vegas Review Journal
Serious Suggestions For Public Pay Reform A central point of former Clark County Manager Thom Reilly's new book is incontestable:
The purpose of government is to provide essential services to the public...
More from the Las Vegas Review Journal
Rethinking Public Employee Pay (LAS VEGAS CBS KXNT) It took a major recession to get people interested, but taxpayers
have finally begun to ask how much their public employees are costing, says former Clark
County Manager Thom Reilly....
Read more from CBS Local Las Vegas
Three Speakers Scheduled To Appear At Leadership Forum LAUGHLIN - The next Laughlin Leadership Forum will feature three speakers, with former
Clark County Manager Thom Reilly joining the program with former Clark County Commissioner
Bruce Woodbury and his daughter Melissa, who will represent Laughlin and Searchlight
in the upcoming Nevada Legislature in February...
Read more from The Laughlin Nevada Times
Nevada governments on the hook for over $600M in paid time off Taxpayers potentially owe almost $610 million to local government employees in Nevada’s two most populous counties for their unused paid time off, financial reports show...
Read more from the LVRJ
UNLV named one of most diverse campuses in US
For the second year in a row, UNLV has been named one of the most diverse undergraduate campuses in the nation...
Read more from the LVRJ
Chancellor Thom Reilly on UNLV president departure, medical school dean's future and future
goals
In spite of the ongoing tumult, Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Thom Reilly
said he was still surprised when UNLV President Len Jessup announced his departure from the
state’s largest university earlier this week...
Read more from the Nevada Independent
MGM partnership will pay for employees to go to college Nevada’s higher education system will unveil a program Friday that makes college more accessible
and affordable for more of the state’s residents...
Read more from the LVRJ
Goal-oriented Nevada higher education system gets new focus Five months after Thom Reilly took the helm of the Nevada System of Higher Education as
chancellor, he crossed one major to-do item off his list...
Read more from the LVRJ
EDITORIAL: Regents name Thom Reilly as new university system chancellor The state regents voted unanimously Tuesday (6/27/2017) to name Thom Reilly as chancellor
of the Nevada System of Higher Education. It’s an excellent choice...
Read more from the LVRJ
Six-Figure Payouts for Sick Leave Spur Outrage, Calls for Overhaul When the president of a Massachusetts community retired in March, in addition to his pension,
he received a one-time $266,060 payment for 1,250 unused sick days earned over his 46-year
career...
Read full WSJ article
Most U.S. money intended for Arizona's poorest families goes to child-safety efforts While Arizona has one of the nation’s highest child-poverty rates, federal money intended
to help the poorest families is instead being spent here on foster care, adoptions and services
to children who have been removed from their families...
Read more from tucson.com
What's behind the rise in child neglect in Arizona?
Child Neglect, Superintendent Douglas A new report is out by Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute and the Arizona Department
of Child Safety about child neglect in our state...
Watch video at azpbs.com
Social Media Election Information Report Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy will be releasing a new
report on social networks and social media about where voters get their election information
and how that may differ among Republicans, Democrats and independents...
Read more from AZPBS.org
Cracking Down on Immigration Doesn’t Boost Wages Whatever happens on Nov. 8, the immigration debate will continue to rage, and Arizona will
still be the case study for mass deportations...
Read more from Bloomberg
'Greater Urgency' For Young People To Vote This Election
Huge government pension gap sparks backlash NEW YORK (CNNMoney) - Pensions and other retirement benefits have become a multi-trillion-dollar
black hole for state and local government budgets, sparking fierce battles between elected
officials and voters on one side and public sector unions on the other...
Read more from CNN MONEY
Arizona First To Establish Lifetime Limit On Cash Assistance Program Arizona will become the first and only state to impose a one-year lifetime limit for
impoverished households receiving federal benefits from the Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families program...
Read more from azcentral.com
Henderson Budget Study That Omits Employee Pay Raises Questions A special budget committee formed last year was told not to look to Henderson employee
pay and benefits for cuts as ways to bridge budget shortfalls...
Read more from the LVRJ
Clark County, Its Biggest Union Debate Need For Longevity Pay Clark County and its largest union have a disagreement that is rooted in how future
employees should be compensated after they have put in eight years...
Read more from LVRJ
For Some North Carolina Public Workers, Pay Comes With A Bonus Some 40 state and local employees in North Carolina’s pension system received bonuses
of $20,000 or more in 2011...
Read more from Charlotte Observer
EDITORIAL: A Good First Step Toward Needed Consolidation The Las Vegas Valley has long cried out for local government consolidation...
Read more from the LVRJ
Pension Deal Reflects Democratic, Union Ties SACRAMENTO -- Union leaders grumbled this week when Gov. Jerry Brown released a compromise
deal with Democrats to scale back pension benefits for the state's public employees,
but it was far less than a resounding victory for the Democratic governor...
Read more from the San Jose Mercury News
Around The Corner: The End Of Session With sessions’ end on June 3, there are still many issues waiting to be resolved. Chief
among these issues, and of concern to our members, are the budget and tax bills and what
they will look like...
Read more from Tax Topics
The Importance Of Pension Reform When Clark County District Attorney David Roger announced he would retire in early 2012,
the top prosecutor was 50 years old. Yet he started collecting his annual pension of
about $150,000 immediately upon leaving office...
Read more from LVRJ
Thom Reilly – Public Sector Unions Are In For A Rude Awakening Thom Reilly was Manager of Clark County Nevada, before it fell off the fiscal cliff.
So no one’s in a better position than he is to understand why municipal finances are
crashing all over America...
Read more from Financial Survival Network
Pensions Loom As Budget Busters Gradual erosion of the employment base. A growing spasm of foreclosures in the recession.
And the flight of taxpaying residents followed by an inexorable decline in property tax
revenues...
Read more from the Daily Breeze
How San Diego Avoided Bankruptcy Three California cities file for bankruptcy in less than two weeks. Had that recent
headline appeared six or seven years ago not many people would have been surprised to
see the city of San Diego in that ignominious group...
Read more from U-T San Diego
Firefighters, County Face PR Battle To Win Renewal Of Tax Up For Vote In 2014 A federal lawsuit by battalion chiefs of the Clark County Fire Department against the
county disappeared Tuesday with little fanfare...
Read more from the Las Vegas Sun
Huge Government Pension Gap Sparks Backlash NEW YORK (CNNMoney) - Pensions and other retirement benefits have become a multi-trillion-dollar
black hole for state and local government budgets, sparking fierce battles between elected
officials and voters on one side and public sector unions on the other...
Read more from CNN MONEY
Former County Manager-Turned-Author Takes On Public Employee Pensions In New Book Whenever we write about the compensation of county firefighters (the current average
is about $175,000), someone chimes in that it’s unfair to add pension contributions to
the total. Adding money that firefighters won’t see until they retire is misleading,
they contend, making it look like they take home much more than they actually do...
Read more from The Las Vegas Sun
The Public Interest: Important New Book Looks At Government Pay Former Clark County Manager Thom Reilly - now director of the School of Social Work
at San Diego State University - has a timely book coming out this week, titled "Rethinking
Public Sector Compensation: What Ever Happened to the Public Interest?"...
Read more from the Las Vegas Review Journal
Pension Will Be Next ‘Bubble’ To Burst Thom Reilly thinks public employee pension programs could be the next “bubble” to burst,
requiring a massive taxpayer bailout...
Read more from The Ely Times
Laughlin Has Chance To Reshape Local Government, Ex-County Manager Says The man who was the Clark County manager until six years ago told a full house at the
Laughlin Leadership Forum on May 24 that local voters have a unique opportunity to reshape
the local government...
Read more from The Laughlin Nevada Times
UNLV’s black student population under Nevada demographics A few weeks after U.S. News and World Report ranked UNLV as one of the most diverse college campuses in the country, another report gave the university average marks for black student access and...
Read more from the LVRJ
MGM’s higher education program receives Board of Regents approval MGM Resorts International has revealed that its new collaboration with the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) has received Nevada Board of Regents approval, as it aims to bring expanded educational benefits to its almost 72,000 employees throughout the US...
Read more from CasinoBeats.com
IndyMatters Episode 48: Chancellor Thom Reilly Editor Jon Ralston and Managing Editor Elizabeth Thompson talk with the head of the higher
education system about UNLV President Len Jessup’s departure, the future of medical school
Dean Barbara Atkinson (it appears short there) and the future of the system. Lots of newsy,
provocative stuff...
Listen to full interview
Nevada Politics Today: Thom Reilly interview Victor Joecks talks to Thom Reilly about Len Jessup leaving UNLV and other topics about
the school...
Watch full interview on LVRJ
Like Nobody's Business: NSHE Chancellor Thom Reilly
Chancellor Thom Reilly has high hopes for Nevada colleges Thom Reilly believes there is no more time to waste. The Nevada System of Higher Education
chancellor has been on the job for only two months, but he has a bevy of goals ready for
the state Board of Regents meetings this week...
Read more from the LVRJ
Child Welfare: Thom Reilly discusses system to protect children and families Thom Reilly, director of ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy, discusses his leadership
and strategies in rallying community engagement for foster-care children in Nevada...
Watch full interview on Vimeo
Former Clark County Manager Thom Reilly tapped as chancellor of higher education system Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education voted unanimously on Monday to approve
Thomas “Thom” Reilly, formerly the top administrator of Clark County, as their next chancellor...
Read more from the Nevada Independent
How politically polarized media is driving our alternative realities These days, where Americans get their news is as different as how they vote. Researchers
have found that the proliferation of news sources on cable TV and the internet has upended
the relationship between news outlets and their audiences...
Watch report on PBS NewsHour
How CEO of public nonprofit walked away with nearly $2.2 million in last two years In his six years leading ElectriCities, Graham Edwards won changes to his employment contracts
that dramatically increased his compensation as he neared retirement from one of the best-paying
jobs connected to state or local government...
Read more from newsobserver.com
How Jim Harbaugh could become a $10 million coach An already exceptional year in Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh’s contract and an exceptional
year by Michigan’s football team would produce this extraordinary outcome...
Read more from USA Today
'America's toughest sheriff' facing trouble at the ballot box and the courthouse Katherine Dittmer has voted for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio four times since she
retired to Arizona, and she guesses nothing can stop her from bubbling-in her ballot for
the sheriff yet again.
Read more from latimes
Public Safety, Pension Reformists Battle Over Complex Phoenix Proposition As the sun set on a recent weekday evening, a group of firefighters were navigating
through a North Phoenix neighborhood. They were going door to door, always delivering
a similar pitch...
Read more from KJZZ.org
Newspaper Column: Nevada Public Sector Worker Gets Nearly Double The Pay And Benefits
Of A Private Sector Worker We already knew Nevada’s state and local government employees have generous pension
benefits, but now a researcher at the American Enterprise Institute has done the calculations
and found Nevada’s public pensions are the richest in the nation...
Read more from 4th ST8
Power plays muddy selection of water czar When it comes to choosing a leader for Nevada’s biggest water agency the process is
as clear as Lake Mead mud...
Read more from the LVRJ
North Las Vegas Pushed To The Wall Back in 2006, when times were rosier and any inkling of a catastrophic economic downturn
was just peeking through on the horizon, I did an article about the economic growth plans
of the city of North Las Vegas...
Read more from Las Vegas CITYLIFE
To Reduce Costs, NLV And Las Vegas Agree To Share Services More Widely North Las Vegas and Las Vegas already share a border and a jail. Now the two cities
will look at other areas...
Read more from the Las Vegas Sun
Portland Vacation Perk Doles Out $2 Million Worth Of Paid Time Off Anna Kanwit, Portland's human resources director, says she works hard: 60 hours in any
given week and sometimes on Sundays...
Read more from Oregon Live
Indian River County Government Employees Can Get Big Bucks For Unused Sick, Vacation
Time
Local government employees cashed in almost $11.3 million in unused sick and vacation
time since 2007 while officials were forced to cut staff and services amid a prolonged
economic slump...
Read more from TCPALM
Police Seek Sales Tax Boost To Hire More Cops Clark County consumers could pay more for everything from accordions to zippers if police
can persuade the state Legislature to approve their plan to tap a new sales tax aimed
at putting more police on the street...
Read more from LVRJ
Indian River County Government Employees Can Get Big Bucks For Unused Sick, Vacation
Time
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Local government employees cashed in almost $11.3 million in unused
sick and vacation time since 2007 while officials were forced to cut staff and services
amid a prolonged economic slump...
Read more from TCPALM MOBILE
Commissioners Rain On RTC-Union Dance; They Had To It was a bizarro episode of a government meeting Thursday, when the hot topic was the
proposed contract between the Regional Transportation Commission and the Service Employees
International Union...
Read more from the LVRJ
Bankrupt Stockton Confronts Cost Of Public Employees Last Thursday, the city of Stockton, California became the largest in U.S. history to
declare bankruptcy. Experts say that it’s only the beginning of a very widespread problem...
Read more from KNPR
California Pension Cuts May Have Ripple Effect Decisive victories for ballot proposals cutting retirement benefits for government workers
in two of the largest cities in the U.S. emboldened advocates seeking to curb pensions
in state capitols and city halls across the nation...
Read more from Businessweek
Time To Rethink Public Sector Pay, Finally Thom Reilly was manager of Clark County Nevada from 2001 to 2006; he got out just before
the crash. When it comes to understanding our insane economic world or municipal labor
contracts and benefits, he has an insider's understanding...
Listen to the interview on the Financial Survival Network
Live And Local With Kevin Wall 05/21/12: Public Sector Jobs Thom Reilly is the Former CEO of Clark County and breaks down the difference in pay
between public and private employees...
Listen to the show (Hour 1)
Thom Reilly Calls For Changes In The Public Pension System Former Clark County Manager, Thom Reilly explains the need for changes in the way the
public sector is run...
Watch the Video on Fox 5 Local Las Vegas
Ensuring The Security Of Future San Diego Workers The latest battle in what's been called San Diego’s Pensions Wars will takes place at
the ballot box on June 5th...
Read more from KPBS.org
The Ex-County Manager On The Public-Employee Compensation Crisis, How To Fix It And The
One Job He’ll Never Have During Thom Reilly’s tenure as Clark County’s CEO from 2001-06, local unemployment was
low, spirits were high and government coffers were overflowing with cash...
Read more from Weeklyseven.com
Education partnership aims to improve college and career readiness It’s no secret that education in the state of Nevada is a hot topic. Everyone – from teachers and administrators to parents and students – agrees that education is foundational to our state’s future success...
Read more from the Nevada Independent
Our Turn: Arizona's independents can bridge political divide Voters today are not so much shaped by news as the news is shaped for them. In cafeteria-style
format, we consume news from a personalized menu that, in addition to informing us, satisfies
our appetite for reinforcing our individual beliefs.
Read more from azcentral.com
Court rulings show fate of state pensions likely in voters’ hands Voters may be tasked with ultimately deciding the fate of state pensions after the Arizona
Supreme Court ruled for a second time that provisions of a 2011 reform law passed by the
Legislature are unconstitutional.
Read more from azcapitoltimes.com
A Better Way to Set Public Pay Too few local governments are taking advantage of a valuable tool: benchmarking compensation
among their public- and private-sector peers...
Read more from governing.com
First step to fix pension woes: Proper accounting Officials from Nevada’s Public Employees Retirement System recently announced that the system
saw a 12.4 percent increase in value in the fiscal year that ended June 30, beating its 8
percent goal...
Read more from Las Vegas Sun
Nevada Taxpayers Association My years in both state and local government have made me a passionate non-partisan. I stand
before you today believing very strongly that the policies and financial issues surrounding
public pay and benefits are bipartisan issues and the failure to make needed reforms will
have a profound impact on the ability of state and local government to function effectively...
Read entire keynote
Students schooled in global citizenship We live in an increasingly global economy characterized not only by the free movement of
goods and services but also the free movement of ideas and capital...
Read more from The San Diego Union-Tribune
Thom Reilly on the importance of addressing Nevada’s health care crisis now, before it’s
too late Despite a sustained period of economic prosperity and substantial job creation in Nevada
for the past decade, our state faces serious challenges related to our health care system,
including an unacceptably large number of uninsured and underinsured citizens and a serious
workforce shortage of health care professionals...
Read more from The Las Vegas Sun
COMMENTARY: Revisiting remedial education in Nevada While not everyone needs a four-year degree, some type of postsecondary education — certificate or two-year degree — is needed in our growing and demanding skill-based Nevada job market...
Read more from The LVRJ
COMMENTARY: Time is now to protect Nevada’s Dreamers We are a nation of immigrants. Nowhere is this more evident than in Nevada. Our state is
home to people who have moved here to make a better life for themselves and their families...
Read more from LVRJ
My Turn: Lessons from a deeply corrupt city "Corruption on steroids" is how Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley described the
city of Bell, Calif., a tiny enclave of 37,000 people in Los Angeles County...
Read more from azcentral.com
Government’s Continuing Budget-Buster: Paid Sick Leave While paid sick leave is critical to economic security and health for employees and their
families, its impact is even more far-reaching -- even contagious...
Read more from governing.com
Why We Need to Re-Think Public Employees’ Compensation Traditional public pensions widen the public-private pay gap, and they aren't a good fit
for a younger government workforce...
Read more from governing.com
Nevada's public employee compensation needs reform now Nevada's pension system is one of the most generous public employee retirement plans in
the nation...
Read more from LVRJ
The Carter Presidential Library and Museum presentation June 21, 2012 - A broken system...
Read entire presentation
Why consolidation is not a panacea Due to the economic crisis and severe budget shortfalls facing Clark County and local cities,
there has been renewed conversation at the state and local levels for the consolidation of
governments in Southern Nevada...
Read more from The Las Vegas Sun
Where I Stand — Guest Columnist Thom Reilly: Building citizen trust TOO OFTEN I hear, "What is government going to do to fix this problem in our community?"
The problems vary depending on the community issue and whom they affect...
Read more from The Las Vegas Sun
NSHE improves odds for former Nevada foster children: Reilly The odds have never been good for the thousands of Nevada children who enter the foster care system due to abuse, neglect or abandonment by families...
Read more from Reno Gazette Journal
Gamechangers? Independent Voter May Rewrite The Political Playbook. Like the thick glass shakers of salt and pepper that dominate kitchen, diner and banquet
tables where modern U.S. politics often are discussed and debated, elections and governance
largely have been viewed through the lens of a seemingly impenetrable two party power structure:
Republicans and Democrats.
Read Full OP-ED
Voters, Media & Social Networks Sociologists have long established that our media consumption and circle of friends can
in uence our individual political opinions and perspectives. To better understand that relationship,
Morrison Institute for Public Policy conducted a pre-election survey and separate post-election
focus groups in Arizona regarding how the interaction of news and social networks a ect voters
in their gathering and discussion of political-related information...
Read full OP-ED
Viewpoints: The plan to prevent Arizona child neglect Child neglect is less visible than child abuse. But it’s a similarly dangerous type of child
maltreatment in that the resulting negative outcomes too often last a lifetime...
Read more from azcentral.com
Viewpoints: How to solve Arizona's pension crisis Pension reform is complicated, particularly with Arizona's constraints. Here's how we can
get around them...
Read more from azcentral.com
TANF cuts: Is Arizona shortsighted in its dwindling support for poor families? Arizona’s recently adopted budget for fiscal year 2015-16 includes dramatic reductions in
assistance to low-income families with children.
Read more from The Morrison Institute
Giving shelter: Promising news on homeless front Let’s talk about homelessness. But wait — this time, remarkably enough, the news is promising...
Read more from San Diego Tribune
More transparency needed for city’s pension reform It is of little surprise that the Comprehensive Pension Reform (CPR) initiative (which replaces
guaranteed pensions for most city workers with a 401(k)-style plan, freezes base pay for
city workers and removes special pay from counting toward pension calculations) is appearing
on the June ballot in San Diego and garnering a good deal of citizen support...
Read more from U-T San Diego
Thom Reilly: Intermountain states must unite, seek federal help A recent report by the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, suggests the southern
Intermountain West states — Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah — should team
up, flex their collective political muscle and together insist the federal government work
more helpfully with them to create more sustainable, deliberate policies to empower their
growing urban areas...
Read more from The Las Vegas Sun
Should county recorder’s office be eliminated? One thing that frustrates all of us is that many interactions with government require standing
in a line. Sometimes we go through one line at a governmental agency, only to find out that
we need to go to yet another line...
Read more from The Las Vegas Sun
EVENTS
The following events are book discussions on
The Failure of Governance in Bell, California: Big-time Corruption in a Small Town
Tuesday, June 7, 2016 | Memphis
Jason's Deli
3473 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, Tennessee, 38111
5:30-7:30 pm (6-7pm Book Discussion)
Wednesday June 8, 2016 | Memphis
Embassy Suites
1022 S. Shady Grove Rd
Memphis, Tennessee 38120
5:30-7:30 (6-7pm Book Discussion)
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Changing Hands Bookstore
300 W Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85013
7pm
