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572 San Francisco city workers are paid more than governor
25% of San Francisco city workers make over $100,000 San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr made $321,522. San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White came in second, at $314,759 The were followed by a slew of police and fire deputy chiefs. 572 city workers paid more than governor Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross Updated 3:05 am, Wednesday, February 20, 2013 No fewer than 572 San Francisco city workers and executives made more than Gov. Jerry Brown last year. More than 1,500 city workers made more than state Attorney General Kamala Harris. And that's without overtime. "That's pretty staggering," said Tom Dalzell, head of the California Citizens Compensation Commission, which sets pay for state lawmakers. With a salary of $173,987, Brown makes about as much as a senior police sergeant in San Francisco, once premium pay for the cop's years of service, special training and the like are included. At $151,127 a year, Harris is making less than many of the lawyers she used to oversee when she was San Francisco district attorney. "I think you will find that in just about every major city or county in the state," Dalzell said. That may be the case, but San Francisco is a true municipal gold mine when it comes to pay. The days when the headline-grabbing "$100,000 club" was made up of a handful of top managers and overtime earners are long gone. Last year, city controller's records show, roughly a quarter of the city's 36,000 full- and part-time workers made more than $100,000 - without overtime. And 195 workers and execs made more than $200,000. The highest-paid was Police Chief Greg Suhr, who made $321,522. Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White came in second, at $314,759, followed by a slew of police and fire deputy chiefs. Mayor Ed Lee checked in at No. 27, with $260,547. This year's cash-out prize went to outgoing police Capt. John Goldberg, who got $245,999 for his unused sick and vacation time, bringing his yearly pay to $350,403. Lee's reaction to the numbers? "Whenever the city opens a contract, we look at comparable rates around the region," said spokeswoman Christine Falvey. "We're constantly looking (at) how much we are paying employees and finding good people, and balancing that with protecting the city's fiscal health." SNIP San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or e-mail matierandross@sfchronicle.com |