California State Personnel Board members taking pay cuts along with public employees

Four of the five members of the California State Personnel Board have requested pay cuts, according to the State Controller’s Office.

The State Personnel Board oversees the state’s civil service laws such as its restrictions on nepotism and favoritism. Members Lauri Shanahan, Kimiko Burton, Shawnda Westly and Mona Pasquil Rogers have requested 9.23% reductions to their pay, Controller’s Office spokeswoman Jennifer Hanson said in an email.

The reduction drops the board members’ pay to $3,820 per month.

The board members were the latest high-ranking California state officials to request pay cuts in line with those Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature imposed on state workers in July.

The state reduced most workers’ pay by 9.23% and gave them two days off per month to use at their discretion. To partially offset the reductions, the state suspended the contributions workers normally make to their retirement health care, which range from 1.4% to 4.6% of their pay.

Newsom said in May that he and his staff would participate in the pay cuts. He didn’t take one at the same time as state workers, but requested a retroactive reduction to his pay after The Sacramento Bee asked about it. Newsom’s office said the delay was due to an oversight.

State Controller Betty Yee requested the reduction at the same time as the state’s workforce. Treasurer Fiona Ma, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and Secretary of State Alex Padilla each requested retroactive reductions.

Five members of the Legislature requested reductions as well, as did Board of Equalization members Antonio Vazquez, Malia Cohen and Mike Schaefer.

This story was originally published September 9, 2020 at 6:00 AM.