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It's not just the fact the salaries of top executives at Utah Transit Authority are among the highest in the nation that should be of concern to Utahns whose tax dollars support the transit system. It is also important to know the UTA Board of Trustees has repeatedly ignored advice over the years to bring the salaries more in line with generally accepted levels.
A legislative audit conducted as long ago as 1997 expressed concern that the total compensation package of UTA's General Manager was 38 percent higher than other selected, comparable organizations.
In 2007, another study by Utah's Auditor General found that "UTA's executive salaries and bonuses are higher than the transit industry standard." That audit recommended the UTA Board of Trustees bring executive salaries "more in line with other transit agencies and public-sector entities."
In view of such expressed concerns, it is difficult to understand why the UTA board has continued to pay Executive Director John Inglish a salary, which a KSL investigation found to be among the highest of any public transit company in the country.
UTA may not be a government entity per se, but KSL reminds the not-for-profit company that their important public service is supported virtually entirely by tax dollars. Obviously, more accountability is in order.
