The city’s independent budget analyst, Andrea Tevlin, was approached about the top financial analyst job in Los Angeles but asked this week for her name to be withdrawn from consideration.
Tevlin told me today that a headhunting firm contacted her recently to gauge her interest in the job of city administrative officer, the mayor’s top finance official. She had not been offered the post when she gave notice that she no longer wanted to be a candidate.
“I was very interested initially and then I decided to withdraw my name,” Tevlin said.
Tevlin has held her post for three years and said she wants to stay in San Diego for at least five, though she said it’s not a solid timeframe.
“I don’t want to move on right now,” she said. “There’s so much work to be done and I feel valued, and I think we’re making important contributions.”
The Los Angeles position pays about $326,000, compared to Tevlin’s current salary of $210,000, and involves oversight of a 180-person staff.
The city administrative officer works with the mayor to develop the $7 billion budget and takes the lead in labor negotiations. Tevlin said she has been “impressed with Mayor (Antonio) Villaraigosa and his mission there,” but still thinks she can contribute in San Diego.
Before being hired as the city’s first independent budget analyst, Tevlin worked in Phoenix for 25 years, holding positions as deputy city manager, chief of staff to the mayor, and budget director.