San Diego is in a constant financial crisis. Why did it pay its city employees millions more last year?

San Diego's payroll ballooned by $41 million last year, fueled by unpublicized payouts, labor settlements and costly benefits, an analysis by The San Diego Union-Tribune has found.

The increase challenges rhetoric by both union leaders and Mayor Jerry Sanders about frozen salaries and labor cost reductions. Employee compensation grew by 6 percent last year.