To be the best, we will have to pay the best

Ever so often from the corners of the political world, especially in Yuba-sutter, you will hear comments or suggestions from outsiders that want to reduce what we pay our government employees – including those in charge.

They bemoan the fact that we have to pay anything at all to those working hard behind the scenes to make sure our cities and counties function properly and provide opportunities for residents. While we can certainly debate what would be a fair wage for an elected official – we could argue there is a need for them to be paid more in certain circumstances – what shouldn’t be up for much debate is paying a competitive wage to the real decision makers and planners of government.

Because government is such a publicfacing entity and because it must be transparent and open to all kinds of criticism, it and the people who work for any given governmental body can at times receive the brunt of frustration from those who think government doesn’t work well enough for them.

Should we always be critical and examine where our tax dollars go? Absolutely. But should we continually and blindly demonize the people – who oftentimes are at the mercy of state or federal law and the amount of revenue any jurisdiction can actually bring in – doing the day-to-day work just like any of us at any private business? We don’t think so.

Recently, Yuba County Administrator Kevin Mallen received a raise – a well deserved one at that. But, prior to the March 12 vote by supervisors to give Mallen that bump in pay, there was an effort by a local political party to delay or at the very least publicly question why such an increase was even necessary. That ultimately never happened thanks to a Yuba County supervisor that was able to explain why the increase was warranted – information is power – and Mallen’s term as the county’s leader was extended from Dec. 30, 2025, to Dec. 20, 2028, with a new monthly salary of $25,112.

At first glance, that monthly salary seems excessive. Mallen essentially makes in one month what someone else can make in an entire year. But just like any private company, you need to pay people what they are worth and you need to pay them for what they bring in.

According to the AFL-CIO, CEO pay at S&P 500 companies averaged $16.7 million in 2022. Data showed that the top CEO, Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone Inc., was paid $253,122,146 in 2022.

While Yuba County is not exactly a oneto-one comparison with a private equity firm such as Blackstone, that should give people a sense of what we’re dealing with when it comes to compensation for a leader of a company, or in Mallen’s case, a government body.

As the old adage goes, you get what you pay for. So, what has Yuba County paid for or gotten out of Mallen during his tenure? Let’s look at the facts.

Mallen, who has a background in civil engineering and has been with the county for more than two decades, is a dedicated public servant. Along with staff and support from elected supervisors, Mallen and former Yuba County Administrator Robert Bendorf were integral in planning for the future of the county through efforts such as the creation of the county’s current general plan, zoning ordinance and strategic plan. Mallen also helped establish the community development and services agency, which includes

Yes to Yuba – a group that has helped streamline the process of bringing in more businesses and opportunities to county residents.

During Mallen’s watch, the county has seen increased growth and the arrival of major corporations – Costco being the most visible example. Prior to its opening in November 2023, the company had hired about 200 people locally and it proved that the county was open and ready for more.

Since 2019, Yuba County has seen an average of 400 new homes each year being built – something some neighboring counties haven’t been able to do as effectively during a time where building a home in California is incredibly challenging. To coincide with that housing, the county also has been making huge investments in infrastructure, thanks to grants and other financial planning that Mallen was able to oversee.

There are many other agencies and entities that Mallen must juggle and appease, including Beale Air Force

Base, which the county said “sustains nearly 10,000 jobs for our region and contributes an economic impact of over $700 million annually.”

So, yes, Mallen did deserve that raise and so does every public employee that works hard each day for us. Mistakes will happen. Certain people may feel ignored. But this is the nature of things and the constant push and pull that people such as Mallen must deal with each day. Much like our elected officials, he makes the hard decisions so we don’t have to. He helps generate the revenue that pays for our quality-of-life needs.

Government employees such as Mallen deserve our respect and they deserve to be paid a competitive wage.