Q: How did you obtain this information?
A: We requested it from the agencies or institutions in question, using the Colorado Open Records Act.
Q: Is the publication of this information legal?
A: Yes, certain information about state employees, including their compensation, is a matter of public record. The Colorado Revised Statutes 24-72-204 describes public records open to public inspection. The statute can be viewed . Search for “Freedom of Information.”
Q: Why publish this information at all?
A: Newspapers in the traditional sense have always been purveyors of public information: arrest reports, marriage and divorce records, real estate transactions, bankruptcy filings. In the electronic age, where information is easier to access than ever before, it’s important that newspapers provide not only “traditional” journalism, where a reporter gathers information, assembles it into a story, the story is edited and then displayed online or in print, but also information that is in the form of searchable databases. This transition to newspapers as “information providers” isn’t new, it’s just that we’re doing a lot more of it so that you’ll continue to have a source of reliable information, whatever the form.
Q: Why do you publish full names?
A: We believe publishing salary information — including employee names — goes to the heart of transparency in government. Taxpayers have the right to know exactly how their tax dollars are spent. Publishing this information helps “shine a light” on abuses and inequalities in government. For example, the only way to identify “no-show” workers is by name. The line between the information that is released and not released is designed to strike a balance between a public employee’s personal privacy and the taxpayers’ right to know. A formal attorney general’s opinion on the matter can be found
Q: Does publication of this information on denverpost.com compromise state employees’ privacy or safety?
A: No, this information does not create any safety issues. Information on just about any state employee can be obtained by a search initiated at http://www.state.co.us/test9/telemp/telemp_search.cfm. Names, office telephone numbers and e-mail addresses are listed there. Many internet sites offer, for a modest fee, far more information about people than either denverpost.com or the state directory does.
Q: Does publication of this information on denverpost.com open state employees to identity theft?
A: No, personal information such as Social Security numbers or driver’s license numbers are NOT included in these databases. According to the National White Collar Crime Center, an investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, the limited information in these databases does not create a risk of identity theft. To learn more read for some useful information.
Q: Can this information be discovered by an internet search engine such as Yahoo or Google?
A: These search tools use Javascript. The information in these databases can be seen only when these tools are used. The information contained in these databases cannot be indexed. Therefore, it cannot be found by a search engine. As far as search engines are concerned, this information does not exist.
Q: Not all state employees are paid with state funds. How do we know which state employees are paid with Colorado tax dollars?
A: Where we are able to obtain state/non-state breakdowns from agencies and institutions, we make an effort to display both. Nevertheless, employees are being paid by revenues generated via public offices, public transactions and public processes, so both figures — and the total — are relevant.
