DeMaio: Number of $100K city employees climbs 9 percent

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The number of city of San Diego employees who earned $100,000 or more in 2011 totaled 1,359 — up 9 percent over the previous year, Councilman Carl DeMaio said Wednesday

The figure has increased by 55 percent over the past five years, said DeMaio, who represents Rancho Bernardo. The mayoral candidate regularly releases reports on city compensation practices and pension payouts.

“As San Diegans continue to see worsening streets and unacceptable service levels, this analysis of city employee compensation shows that there is still plenty of room to trim city labor costs,” DeMaio said.

The data showed that while 3 percent fewer positions were budgeted, personnel costs ended up $23 million higher than the year before.

He said he took data from the city’s payroll system, budget, and mid-year budget monitoring report.

“This report reinforces the need for the mayor and City Council to continue reforming city employee compensation until it is in line with the local labor market,’’ DeMaio said. “Commendable progress has been made on some issues, but clearly more can and should be done to reduce labor costs.”

A jump in overtime costs within the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department in the current fiscal year accounts for part of the increase, according to the report.

Frank DeClercq, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 145, said the SDFRD ranks have been trimmed by about 200 firefighters in the past couple of years, so overtime is frequently necessary to make sure all of the department’s vehicles are fully staffed.

A dozen SDFRD employees, mostly captains and battalion chiefs, made a list of the top 30 city workers who were paid the most in 2011 — eight of whom made more than Chief Javier Mainar.

According to the report, four employees made more than $200,000:

• Chief Operating Officer Jay Goldstone took home $262,024;

• Independent Budget Analyst Andrea Tevlin earned $220,765;

• Chief Financial Officer Mary Lewis made $216,840; and

• an unnamed assistant chief operating officer was paid $203,677.

The list of the top 30 earners did not include names of the employees.

Four police officers were included.