LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – State Controller Betty T. Yee has published 2019 self-reported payroll data for hundreds of cities and 50 counties on the Government Compensation in California website.
The site contains pay and benefit information on more than two million government jobs in California, as reported annually by each entity.
California law requires cities, counties and special districts to annually report compensation data to the state controller.
The data cover 674,166 positions and a total of more than $48.50 billion in 2019 wages.
The newly published data include 469 cities and 52 counties.
Cities not reporting are Benicia, Campbell, Compton, Davis, Ione, Oxnard, Redding, Roseville, San Jose, Santa Paula, Solano Beach, Union City and West Sacramento.
Counties that haven’t reported are Humboldt, Mendocino, Plumas, Santa Barbara, Sonoma and Yolo.
Based on the information provided on the website, the city of Clearlake, with approximately 14,297 residents and 89 employees, pays wages totaling $4,489,853 and retirement and health contributions totaling $999,152.
Average wages are $50,488, while average retirement and health contributions are $11,226.
In Clearlake, the top five salaried positions are:
– City manager: salary, $149,872; retirement and health, $30,924.
– Police chief: salary, $137,335; retirement and health, $54,143.
– Police captain: salary, $135,101; retirement and health, $48,693.
– Police sergeant: salary, $133,228; retirement and health, $33,226.
– Police officer : salary, $128,747; retirement and health, $17,298.
For the city of Lakeport, the site reports 4,677 residents and 69 employees, paying out $3,355,225 in wages and $906,680 in retirement and health contributions.
Average wages are $48,626, average retirement and health contributions are $13,140.
In Lakeport, the top five salaried positions are:
– City manager: salary, $145,553; retirement and health, $22,847.
– Community Development director: salary, $118,469; retirement and health, $12,141.
– Police chief: salary, $118,134; retirement and health, $42,706.
– Police lieutenant: salary, $102,077; retirement and health, $23,230.
– Utilities superintendent II: salary, $101,681; retirement and health, $8,299.
For the county of Lake, the site reports a population of 64,040 and county government employees totaling 1,194, paying $47,290,457 in wages and $12,333,180 in retirement and health contributions.
Average wages are $39,607; average retirement and health contributions are $10,329.
The county’s top five paid employees are:
– County counsel: salary, $152,855; retirement and health, $23,674.
– County administrative officer: salary, $152,801; retirement and health, $25,601.
– Sheriff-coroner: salary, $146,483; retirement and health, $33,512.
– District attorney: salary, $142,697; retirement and health, $23,754.
– Deputy Sheriff Sergeant: salary, $125,337; retirement and health, $22,673.
The city of Vernon – with 297 residents and 285 employees – had the highest average city employee wage in California, at $120,745 and $27,688 for retirement and health contributions.
Rounding out the top five cities for pay and benefits are Hayward, average wages, $107,198, retirement and health, $24,572; Atherton, average wages, $105,657, retirement and health, $21,428; Pleasant Hill, average wages, $105,208, retirement and health, $24,721; and Fairfield, average wages, $104,800; retirement and health, $26,164.
Topping the list for highest average county employee wage were the counties of Santa Clara, average wages, $89,985, retirement and health, $22,766; Los Angeles, average wages, $85,936, retirement and health, $24,338; Alameda, average wages, $85,194; retirement and health, $35,998; San Mateo, average wages, $82,406, retirement and health, $35,160; and Placer, average wages, $78,437, retirement and health, $33,864.
The highest-salaried city employee in California is San Francisco’s chief investment officer, with total wages totaling $577,633, with $128,267 in retirement and health contributions.
The state reported that almost all of the top 100 highest-paid county employees are physicians.
Users of the site can view compensation levels on maps and search by region, narrow results by name of the entity or by job title and export raw data or custom reports.
The state controller also maintains and publishes state and CSU salary data.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.