San Jose Fire Chief Makes $108,116 in Overtime. The highest-paid employee in San Jose's city government last year was a fire battalion chief who made $270,367, including $108,116 in overtime and $37,055 in other cash compensation, such as back pay from a labor contract settlement. The San Jose Mercury News reports: "Three other battalion chiefs were among the city's 10 highest-paid workers in 2007, with total cash compensation – excluding benefits – of up to $244,847."
With the city running a deficit estimated to total $137 million over the next four years, city employees' salaries have grown 38 percent since 2000, almost twice the cost-of-living increase reflected in the Consumer Price Index. The Mercury News noted that high-ranking firefighters are at or near the top of the pay lists for many cities. "Even small local cities like Mountain View have firefighters making $200,000 or more thanks to overtime," the paper reported.
The average city worker's base pay is $82,328, or nearly twice the 2006 median individual income in Santa Clara County. (Source: San Jose Mercury News, April 15.)
Cal-Taxletter April 18, 2008
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