From the Editor Special: Response to questions about state employee pay database

To our readers:

We are hearing from dozens of state workers today, particularly in the wake of an employees' union email to members, that they object to our publication of a searchable database, which includes their salary and where they work.

While not unexpected, the complaints are being considered and discussed, and we will work to air the complaints in The Bee's opinion pages as well as our story comments online. Today we are challenged by the extremely heavy use of our Web database, which has put a strain on our comments function, so comments may not be available at all times.

Below are responses to the most common questions or complaints we have received. The discussion is healthy, as is citizen access to public information. Because of the volume of e-mails, I haven't been able to respond to individual readers. If you'd like to comment, please e-mail statepay@sacbee.com. Thanks for taking part.

Melanie Sill, Editor
The Sacramento Bee, sacbee.com

1. The Bee's intention in publishing the employee database: The Bee did not set out to embarrass anyone or to invade anyone's privacy -- government pay is public record, not private information. The salary database is part of a larger effort by The Bee to put public information in easy reach of readers. We have been expanding our public database offerings, a trend I wrote about in my "From the Editor" column last Sunday. We have provided searchable databases on crime incidents, home sales, foreclosures and other information and plan to continue expanding these data offerings. Find the full list at www.sacbee.com/databases.

Nationally, public employee salary information has been offered in searchable form in a growing number of states and localities. In Georgia and Iowa, the state makes the database available directly. In other states and counties, media organizations or other private companies have posted the information. We believe that this information is of broad public interest, particularly at a time when state spending and employee welfare are under pressure, and that we serve that public interest by helping citizens use information collected by government agencies.

In California, salary data is public information, and some of this information has been published previously by The Bee along with other publications or by government entities.

2. Concerns about safety being compromised by publishing the names and departments where individual workers are employed: We have considered this issue again today in light of the complaints but do not believe we are publishing information that could not easily be obtained from other public sources. State workers' names and locations, for instance, are available online through the state government employee directory. So is other information, such as employees' email addresses, that we have not published.

3. Concerns about identity theft: The pay database does not include addresses, social security numbers, email addresses, telephone numbers or other personal information. We do not believe names and pay levels are adequate information for identity theft. Simple internet searches might show you that your address and phone number, for instance, are available online through other sources.

4. Fundamental questions regarding names and salary information: Public information on pay is of interest for many reasons. The pay information provides insights from the small to the large about how government compensates employees, how pay for various positions and individuals compares to others, how public sector pay compares to private industry and many other such findings. We believe that public information belongs to the public and that if it is accessible to some people it should be accessible to any citizen. In other places where employee pay databases have been posted publicly, the initial surge of interest fades and what remains is a useful public resource for research and information.