Deseret News | Lawmakers riled over bonuses for trust land officials

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Lawmakers riled over bonuses for trust land officials

Margaret Bird | 4:32 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009

This is the work of Margaret Bird, who is so cozy in her role as "overseer" of SITLA. These guys are crooks.

Will Crowther | 4:46 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009

Utah government continues to behave as you'd expect here in Utah. We've all heard the media hype that Utah is above the national catastrophe. It has now become apparent that we're only behind the curve and will experience the national pain later (and perhaps longer).

Make them give it back! It has been done in the United States, and can be done here in Utah. If there is money for bonuses next year, they can get their money then. Government being above the pain they've caused is not only wrong, but abhorrently wrong.

ray bergh | 5:46 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009

this bonus is greater than 50% of working people's wages and MUST NOT BE PAID NOW OR EVER, THIS IS bs .i hope this is picked up by the news media for all to see!!!

Comments continue below

ray bergh | 5:54 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009

please don't tell me this is part of the stimulus package,this is OUTRAGEOUS& MUST BE STOPPED,this is more than half of what most working people make in a year!!i hope the news media pick up on this!!

Smooth... | 8:38 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009

"not improperly awarded"????? So because they didn't break any laws it's OK?

Stop the insanity! | 12:48 a.m. Oct. 22, 2009

Please use this money to help the entire state budget shortfall!

People are losing jobs, losing unemployment benefits and losing health insurance and yet this group continues to get outrageous bonuses.

It is time to stop this insanity.

Government regulation is needed | 2:28 a.m. Oct. 22, 2009

So much for the conservative theory that people ought to be left alone and free to do what ever they want. This type of arrogance and greed is exhibited in Wall Street, and also here.

One of the purposes of government is to dis-allow people doing things that hurt other people. So much for the theory that government is the problem, not the solution.

Government has its place.

End it all. | 4:55 a.m. Oct. 22, 2009

This is outrageous and uncalled for corruption for any and all appointed or salaried individual hired by committees or government or education to do a specific job. This is corruption at is finest, hire a person then pay them extremely well with and extreme bonus for doing what he was hired to do. The only compensation they deserve is the salaries they earned. That is their bonus.

It is good that there are some legislators finally putting some pressure on to catch and eliminate this kind of corruption and fraud.

Contracting services of individuals or a business by any government entity, and I include education as a government entity, should not include any bonus as this is opening the door to fraud and corruption. Contracting by government has been wasting and defrauding all taxpayers of hard earned taxes for many years and its time to eliminate any and all bonus clauses to any contractor. It's an open incentive to fraud.

The state legislators should enacts laws that would include any and all government spending by cities, counties, or state departments to eliminate bonus or special rewards.

Same old | 6:12 a.m. Oct. 22, 2009

So based on the way the legislators allow themselves to have bonus pay from the campaign contributions, how can they claim this was inappropriate. All comes down to ethics, apparently being paid for the job you do, isn't good enough. Sounds just like the logic the legislators give for allowing them to spend their campaign funds on personal items and to keep it if they are no longer in office. They just seem to be emulating what the legislature does, take advantage while you can, before everybody gets outraged enough to demand change.

I am disgusted! | 7:50 a.m. Oct. 22, 2009

If they are a "lonely bright spot in the economy because we are doing well" why do they clamor for more money for schools every year and get it in the form of raising our taxes?

The ones getting the performance bonuses are the ones setting the performance goals, of course they're going to meet the goals! Why would anyone set a goal that was unreachable. In this financial climate, they would have set very low goals.

HappyGirl | 8:51 a.m. Oct. 22, 2009

The amounts are outrageous! That being said, I am not opposed to anybody receiving a bonus for hard work and meeting goals, regardless of how the rest of the world is doing financially. We reward our kids independent of what other families are doing, don't we?

As I understand it, the bonuses are figured in as part of the annual budget. Most, if not all, state agencies are budgeted for fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30. If the fiscal 2009, ending June 30, 2009, already had that money budgeted for payment (which would have been approved by the legislature), then why all the hullabaloo about paying it out? If the 2008 bonus was paid in the 2009 year out of the 2008 budget and the 2009 bonus (already budgeted) is paid from the 2009 funds but at the end of the 2009 year, that would look like a double payment. Was that what happened?

2010 fiscal year is almost half-way through, and SITLA has said they aren't budgeted for the bonus in 2010.

Same Old please educate yourself | 9:03 a.m. Oct. 22, 2009

Last session the Legislature passed limits on use of campaign funds. They cannot use the funds for personal reasons nor turn the funds into personal income. Please educate yourself before looking like a hater for the mere purpose of being a hater.

Beyond Disgusted! | 9:19 a.m. Oct. 22, 2009

I make $31,000 annually working for a state agency. I did NOT get a raise this year, let alone a bonus.

If you people aren't ashamed of yourselves, you should be.

Maybe you should get out Dante's Inferno and read about the suffering that you greedy people will endure in the next life.

They are riled... | 9:41 a.m. Oct. 22, 2009

..because it gets idiots like this to right news stories and put their names in the paper.

Are we suddenly against capitalism and making money in this country?

The government in it infinite wisdom on has money that we produce to spend so if all you nitwits believe the government should provide everything for us then you better believe capitalism better be working otherwise the govt has no money to provide their socialist programs.

Fools.

There is by far more corruption in government than there is in business and yet you simpletons grasp at this "public justice".

Your FEDERALLY elected representatives get LIFETIME SALARY/PENSION/BENEFITS FOR ONE TERM IN OFFICE!!!

That is equivalent to millions in expense for taxpayers and yet these hypocrits complain about these salaries and benefits.

At least the CEO's have to run a company to get theirs.

Your representatives just lie, cheat, and steal and they get theirs.

Who is really corrupt.

Get a clue!

NOT GOOD WORK | 10:31 a.m. Oct. 22, 2009

In my humble opinion, from things I am aware of and my experience as an appraiser ... I don't think they should get a bonus for either year! I don't think they have done a good job, let alone an outstanding one.

Even if they did meet the performance goals ****(Deseret News - List them for us & indicate who made them and how they were net or exceeded)**** the amount is excessive. Maybe we should put the agency out to bid.

In my opinion, if an investigation was made of the whole agency, you would find that there may be instances where there was not good decisions or management.

$35K bonus | 2:39 p.m. Oct. 22, 2009

to manage almost a billion in assets is peanuts. It is not uncommon to compensate money managers 1% of assets under management. If the persons were hired to manage the school trust fund account and it performed up to expextations, they should get the money. It is called a contract. Basic part of capitalism. Those of you whining about not making enough money, find a job that pays you more.

Get the USOE out of this fund! | 2:52 p.m. Oct. 22, 2009

Get it out of the hands of the USOE -- a needless middleman. These funds should go directly to the regular school budget instead of being an extra perk. They money would still help students, but it would also help taxpayers who are struggling!

Come on SITLA! | 10:28 p.m. Oct. 22, 2009

Prepaid Bonuses!
Bonuses are something above an employment contract for a job well done after the time period specified is over. It is egregious that you get a bonus for doing your job, let alone prepaid.

And if there is 970 Million in the fund, with a capital projects fund of 10 mil and operating budget of 9 mil, the school district should never again be able to go to the legislature with their hands out!

To: 35K bonus | 9:43 a.m. Oct. 23, 2009

If everyone took your advice to get a higher paying job, you wouldn't have the high paying job you have because there wouldn't be any teachers to get you to that point. Do what the teachers used to tell you in elementary school and put your thinking cap on before you open your mouth and start spewing.

Get Your Facts Right | 3:00 p.m. Oct. 23, 2009

SITLA does an outstanding job for the school children of Utah. They made over 150 million dollars in the fiscal year 2008. This is the only independent government agency that actually makes money! Every bit of the money SITLA spends is money they have earned, not tax dollars. Get that straight not tax dollars! The bonuses aren't set by the people receiving them, they are set by the board of directors who are appointed by various means from outside government, as well as outside the agency itself, and most are business men and women who have special knowledge about mining or the oil and gas industry where they are often employed and donate there time to make sure our school children get the best bang for their buck. Before you light your torches and storm the castle get your facts right. Any person who believed what they read in the papers or the hot air that is expelled from our politicians without finding out for themselves may want to look into their belief in the Easter Bunny and Santa.

systemBroken | 4:28 p.m. Oct. 23, 2009

any bonuses should be paid to graduating students. Are these school folks like the bankers threatening to leave. Let them. There are a million more unemployed teachers and admins waiting to take their places. I say the same for the Wall Streeters.Who cares if Wall Street 'talent' leaves?
If lower pay lures some of Wall Street's finest away, so be it. It's not as if the best and brightest were doing a good job to begin with.

Utah Dem | 12:03 a.m. Oct. 30, 2009

To Get Your Facts Straight - if these geniuses did such a great job why were the LAND trust monies reduced in excess of 20% to the schools this year?

re: Utah Dem | 3:15 p.m. Oct. 31, 2009

I will explain it to you. The money SITLA makes goes into a fund managed by the state treasurer's office. That fund is worth around 900 million. Some of the interest and dividends from the 900 million are paid out to the schools as LAND Trust moneys. The 20% reduction is a product of the market ie stocks, bonds, or the interest rate paid, not the people who make the money. In other words the market determines the amount each school receives. Don't blame SITLA for the stock market, they have enough to worry about with managing the 3.4 million acres of land for our school children.

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