Good question. I hope the candidates respond to it.

I'd also like them to address the fact that we have the number of city workers making more than $150K in straight salary is also out of line. I'd like to hear the justification for paying those workers over-time pay on top of the high salaries.

Maybe it's just me who thinks $300K for a night police dispatcher is a tad high.

Hmmm - methinks this is another somewhat misinformed criticism of City Hall. The employees - those who are on the 9/80 schedule, that is - do work 80 hours every 2 weeks. Not all employees are on the 9/80 schedule, many do work a traditional 40 hour week. City Hall is not closed on Fridays.

The staffing ratio is high because comparable Cities do not have their own Utility Departments, nor do they have 5 branch Libraries.

I do agree that compensation and benefits is a different question. The current Council and Manager have been dealing with that to the extent that contracts, unions, and - gasp - the market place have enabled them to do so.

Hello Palo Alto citizens

We are a high velocity city with start-ups and businesses working long hours.

Having essential support services for citizens, businesses, elderly is REQUIRED to be open all work days except state/federal mandated holidays.

Palo Alto city needs to be open all 5 days. They can figure out who can work 9 hours and all that. Do not need to shut off; but must staff accordingly if they are not doing it already.

I have been advocating removal of 9/80 (some of) and talked to PA Weekly in an interview with Bill Johnson last week.

Respectfully

Carlos Slim doesn't think anyone should work more than three days a week, i.e., three twelve hour shifts. He feels they should then be paid and benefitted for forty hours, or so he did on CNN this week.