Some city employees earning more than ever despite lack of funding for vital infrastructure

Payroll records acquired through a public records request indicate that at least two employees of the city are making much more than their listed salaries.

One employee, Shanda Hines, who has been with the city for nearly 3 decades, is listed at a salary of $40,000 and ended up bringing home over twice that in 2023. She accomplished this by earning her regular wages and being paid for vacation time every week, essentially being paid double time for the entire year.

Another employee, John Sanders, hired in 2023, earned over $80,000 despite being listed at a salary in the mid $50k’s. He was collecting large amounts of overtime pay to make up the difference. This employee has zero experience in his current position as airport manager, but may be justifying the extra hours due to his involvement in the city’s financial planning and budgeting.

Sanders was nominated to be a financial advisor and auditor in early 2023, but was denied this position by the city council after it was discovered that he is barred from the practice by FINRA, the organization that regulates the financial industry. Despite this, he often comments on budget-related matters in public meetings held by the city council.

Mayor Tyrin Truong’s salary is set at $70,000 by city ordinance, and is subject to a 2% cost of living increase. Despite this, he earned almost $92,000 in 2023, adjusting his pay to reflect the 2% increases that were given to the previous mayor. The city ordinance does not state that these increases should carry over from the previous administration, and this move has been questioned by the Louisiana Legislative Auditors Board during their recent investigations into the city’s finances and budgeting.

Another Employee, Chietra Brown, retired last year and was paid out based on her amount of accrued vacation and sick time. She is still active on the payrolls, working part-time from home and receiving a full benefits package from the city. Part-time employees are not eligible for city benefits.

Although it is common for payroll errors to be made from time to time, the two examples above represent egregious overpayments. It is likely that more errors of this type are occurring, and we will be reporting on them as information becomes available. The city government has a fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers, especially during times of economic recession when the city is operating with extremely limited funds.

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