Transparent Cities — Discussion https://transparentcities.org/discussion Analysis and commentary on Bay Area municipal payroll and spending data. en-us 10 Years of Payroll Across Santa Clara County: Who Grew, Who Didn't https://transparentcities.org/discussion/santa-clara-county-payroll-10yr https://transparentcities.org/discussion/santa-clara-county-payroll-10yr Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Social Liberty Foundation From 2015 to 2024, total payroll across 15 Santa Clara County cities rose sharply — but the story behind the numbers varies dramatically. Santa Clara City nearly doubled its payroll with essentially no headcount change. Several smaller cities shed staff while costs still climbed. San Jose added $290M in payroll, the largest absolute increase in the region. Santa Clara County Trends Compensation Cross-City Average Compensation Across Santa Clara County: A $100K Gap Hiding in Plain Sight https://transparentcities.org/discussion/average-compensation-across-cities https://transparentcities.org/discussion/average-compensation-across-cities Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Social Liberty Foundation In 2024 the gap between the highest- and lowest-compensated municipal workforces in Santa Clara County spans nearly $100,000 per employee — from Santa Clara City at $172.1K average to Morgan Hill at $73.7K. That gap is not random. It reflects which services each city provides in-house, how aggressively labor contracts were renegotiated after COVID, and — in a few outlier cases — the small-sample distortions that come with a workforce of 15 or 76 people. Santa Clara County Compensation Cross-City Trends Which Palo Alto Departments Grew Fastest Since 2016? https://transparentcities.org/discussion/department-cagr-2016-2025 https://transparentcities.org/discussion/department-cagr-2016-2025 Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Social Liberty Foundation Looking at compound annual growth rates for non-personnel spending across Palo Alto's 17 departments, the picture is uneven. Some departments have nearly doubled their contracted spend; others have shrunk. Palo Alto CAGR Trends Departments Community Services: Where Does the Money Go? https://transparentcities.org/discussion/community-services-activity-breakdown https://transparentcities.org/discussion/community-services-activity-breakdown Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Social Liberty Foundation Community Services is Palo Alto's most citizen-facing department, operating libraries, recreation centers, aquatics, arts programs, and social services. Its non-personnel budget — $70.5M in FY2025 — funds contracts and services across 60+ distinct activities. Palo Alto Community Services Non-Personnel Palo Alto's Non-Personnel Costs: A 10-Year Overview https://transparentcities.org/discussion/palo-alto-non-personnel-10yr https://transparentcities.org/discussion/palo-alto-non-personnel-10yr Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Social Liberty Foundation Between FY2016 and FY2025, Palo Alto's non-personnel expenditures — contracts, services, and supplies — grew by 17.7%, from $502.7M to $591.7M. That's a much slower rate than the 59.1% growth in payroll over the same period, but the absolute dollar amounts involved are substantial. Palo Alto Non-Personnel Trends