The City of Phoenix is promoting transparency within its government.

Transparency implies openness and accountability; do we have this in our City government? 

Last budget cycle, during the public hearings, the City told us (the taxpayers) that there would be no pay raises for the City of Phoenix employees; we were told that the City of Phoenix employees would in fact take a 3.2% pay cut.   

In the final budget, which the City council approved, over $30 million were set aside for pay raises for City of Phoenix employees; this is roughly the same amount of revenue as created by the 2% food tax. 

Is this transparency?

City of Phoenix has roughly 15000 employees; 3500 police officers, 1500 fire-fighters and 10000 other employees.