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Allegheny County is ruled by a three-member commission. In 1996, Republicans took control of the county commission for the first time in 50 years. The new commissioners immediately cut taxes 20%. The strain of the tax cut, coupled with infighting and poor management decisions, led to a budget crisis that resulted in deep budget cuts and the layoffs or early retirements of nearly 1000 people, and pay freezes for middle managers. The investigation revealed that in the midst of these cutbacks, some managers hired by the new commissioners got pay increases over their predecessors' salaries. Some top managers hired at one salary were soon given multiple raises (some received double-digit pay raises within a year of hire). The story exposes the policy which allowed this to happen without public consent -- even without the knowledge or consent of the third, minority commissioner.