City officials in Iowa generously compensated

"City managers and administrators in the Des Moines area and other large Iowa cities tend to be paid well above the national average - some by more than nearly double the national average," reported Jason Clayworth and Melissa Walker of the Des Moines Register. By looking at the compensation packages given to city government officials, the Register was able to uncover how city officials' pay is padded by bonuses and other perks such as car allowances. In light of this information, one lawmaker has suggested banning bonuses for all state employees. You can see the database of state employees' salaries here.