The state of California pays 'non-profit' organisations to run some public services instead of directly employing public servants to do the work. A report by a union-funded research body in October 2009 showed how some of these NGOs are using their income to pay their chief executives over $300,000 per year - more than the salary of the superintendent of schools who is responsible for the public education service in the whole of Los Angeles.
The NGOs include:
- Mission City Community Network, a $7 million a year, private, nonprofit, public health clinic, which gets 90% of its income from the state to provides medical services to the poor and uninsured, pays its chief executive $531,000 annually.
- The Children’s Home Society of California, 95% state funded, pays its president $467,000.
- ChildNet Youth and Family Services, state funded to place children in foster homes, pays its president $451,000.
The Center for Public Accountability was created by the USA union SEIU Local 721, in California, to montior . The full report is published on the website at www.accountablecalifornia.org.