View Top 250 City of Tallahassee General Fund Salaries

41 Responses to "View Top 250 City of Tallahassee General Fund Salaries"

1. Tallahassee is overdue for a rewrite of the city charter. A charter amendment should clearly state the duties and responsibilities of the commission. It should delineate the limitations on the authority of the city manager and clarify what decisions must be made in the sunshine. There should be a prohibition against the manager meeting privately with a commissioner to get around the public meeting law.
   Anyone who takes the time to read the charter will see it is a hodgepodge of plugged language that is often contradictory with itself.
   Have a citizen initiative to amend the charter. Take back the city from lazy commissioners and overbearing city management. The city is supposed to listen to us, not be our overseers They all work for us, remember?

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2. An assistant city manager makes 185k and our police chief makes 123k. Is the ACM job more demanding, more stressful, or does it involve greater responsibility than running the TPD? The ACM is not better educated or better trained than the Chief, nor does he have a greater burden of duties. He does not have a more important job than the Chief, who is responsible for protecting us every day.
   I am not a police officer, just a citizen with deep concerns about the off kilter management in City Hall and the city commissioners who condone it. We elect the commissioners, not the city manager or his staff, yet it seems like the manager runs the commissioners. He relies on them to not really pay attention to the details, but to be a rubber stamp for him. Except in very specific situations, such as political intervention in hiring and firing decisions, the city charter does NOT prohibit the city commission from supervising the city manager. The voters should demand they do their job and quit shifting their responsibility to staff.

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3. I worked for the cry for 10years I never brought gone more than $950 every 2 weeks. I was not in the click and paid almost $700 a month for their benefits. I asked for more money as did many others like me and was told there wasn’t any money. They pay who they want to. I wish the entire list of employees was printed so people can see there are huge disparities. They prosecuted city officials in New Mexico a few years ago for. Outlandish pay and raises

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4. Reply to Andrew G: Please review the Leon County Booking Report that’s published daily on the WCTV.TV website. You’ll find the number of arrests made by Sheriff Wood’s deputies far exceeds TPD’s daily count!

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   1. Those booking reports list anyone who turns themself on a warrant (issued by tpd, fsupd, famupd, fhp, or any other agency) as an “arrest” by the sheriff….because they are “arrested” when they turn themselves into the jail. Also, all “recommit” arrest are automatically credited to the sheriff regardless of who made the initial charges or arrest. Remember who makes the booking report….the sheriff. Get your facts straight… they are INTENTIONALLY very misleading.

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5. What’s interesting to me is difference between City and State government. The City of Tallahassee, who’s budget is $706M and who has 2,900 employees, has three (3) employees over $175k. In comparison, The State of Florida, whose budget is 100 times the City’s ($79B), has only 33 employees out of 113,000 employees that make above $175k .

   The Secretary of Transportation, overseeing a $10B budget and 6,400 employees makes $141k, while the City Manager oversees a $0.7B budget and 2,900 employees but makes 60% more in salary. That math doesn’t compute to me.

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6. The problem is we’re not getting what we pay for. TPD is practically invisible until something happens, then it’s cluster time. Sheriff Wood’s deputies are more visible within the city limits and on patrol than TPD.

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   1. John, curious what reality are you actually living in? You have no idea what you are talking about. The numbers don’t lie; TPD handles the VAST majority of all law enforcement calls for service in the city limits. Period. Don’t believe it? Find out for yourself by contacting the CDA and get the stats. You would be astonished at the amount of calls “little ole’ Tallahassee generates.

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7. Cops earn every dollar they are paid, but 156 (if I counted correctly) of the top 250 salaries go to police officers. That’s pretty good and perhaps the police shouldn’t suggest they are underpaid. How many police positions does the City employ?

   So, only 94 employees in the top 250 are non-cops. The remaining 800 general fund employees each make less than 70K, and likely much less. Senior managers make a bunch, but the outcry that the remainder shouldn’t get a two percent raise is ridiculous.

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8. What is the difference between an assistant deputy something or other and a deputy assistant and why are both needed? Seriously, what’s the purpose of so many assistant city managers? Can the city manager not do his own job? Wouldn’t one highly paid assistant be enough to help him? How many attorneys does the city have and why does it need so many? Finally, doesn’t a Police Captain have a lot more responsibility than a Lieutenant? If so, then why is their pay level so close?

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9. Which of those listed above is Commissioner Miller’s husband?

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10. I just have to ask: What does a “Recreation Aide” do to warrant a $93,000 salary (much less 3 of them)? Unless, of course, the recreation was golf with a former Mayor who, we know, did like to travel.

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    1. I need a tennis partner. Can I can apply for one of these recreation aides to aide me in recreating?

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11. I’ve always been in favor of fair payment, but that goes both ways in that its not fair to taxpayers to over pay. Equally important is paying the top guy whatever it takes to get someone who will get the job done. But paying his assistants almost as much as what he gets paid seems wasteful. I think that a lot of these higher level positions are probably over paid. Seriously, just how many of these positions couldn’t be staffed with compentant people earning less than $100,000 a year? How many local resident earn that much? I never have and am stable local business owner who worked 7 days a week last year with very few days off. I get the impression that Lord Gilliam is out of touch with his subjects. Perhaps what Tallahassee needs isn’t a tax increase but some salaries decreased instead.

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12. Firefighters are not included in list of 250 because they are paid from fire service fee ($200 per dwelling-see your utility bill for city, property tax for county residents on Talquin) which is in addition to your property taxes. Both police and firefighters unions negotiated 3-year contracts at 7% annual raises for fire and 6.5% annual raises. Each has one more year. Just the facts, no opinion implied.

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13. The statement “police department employees account for 153 of the top 250 salaries” is a bit misleading.

    These salaries are compiled only from the general fund. There are 14 or 15 funds?

    The police department is not overpaid. TR only sought out the salaries in this fund because it is where the the city manager and executive staff are paid.

    Stop focusing on the police salaries (which are underpaid when held to the “comparable cities” model) and look at the manager and staff’s salaries (overpaid by the same “comparable cities” model)

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14. The whole issue is we have to many City of Tallahassee employees making more than what is justified. Cut the total number of employees by 10 percent and there would be no perceptible change in service.

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15. Why does the Mayor have 2 senior aides who make 75000 each? That might explain how he can work 2 other full -time jobs?

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    1. Umm, they’re making a lot more than $75,000 each.

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16. It is true in every community. Cops and teachers deserve more; administrators probably deserve less; engineers get just about what they deserve. We need them all, but our value system is not quite right.

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    1. Of course, cops and teachers need more, there’s no limit to what they deserve. However, should hiring primarily be done on the basis of what employees need? No, rather a government entity has a primary responsibility to the taxpayer by being competitive in paying as little as possible to fill positions. There have always been a surplus of people how are willing to dedicate themselves to public service and don’t have money as their motivation. Otherwise, there’s always private business positions open to them. Public service has rewards in addition to money. And let’s note that after decades of police and teacher union activity, they’re getting paid a lot more than they used to be paid.

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17. All police should earn more than those who hide behind a desk and push paper from 8-5. They do more for the citizens than the mayor and city manager does! Keep giving them raises but also support them in their physical and mental health, which can take a huge toll after years of serving.

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18. Get out of your easy chairs in front of your 70″ tv’s and do a ride along with any of those Police Officers. Then you will appreciate and understand why they deserve the salaries listed. The patrol officers are underpaid if anything. The good retirements are due to the statistical fact that they have shorter life spans than any other profession.

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19. Wait until you see what is paid out in retirement benefits over a lifetime! That is why so many of our cities are bankrupt.

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    1. Yup retirement is great we pay around 9 percent of our check into it to get it and it is fully funded at this time. The city and the police have worked hard to ensure that the funds are there so it will not be a drain on the citizens in the future. Again TPD IS HIRING come get some of these great benifits for yourself. The pay is great the benifits are outstanding the men and women you will be working with are awesome. Starting salary is around 46,000 a year. Come join the team

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       1. Thanks for sharing that Police officers pay 9% of their salary into the retirement account. Does this employee contribution fully fund the system or, if not, what percentage of the Police retirement system is funded by the taxpayers?

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20. It’s amazing that a regular “police officer” makes $71,902 and with raises forthcoming? I would love for Curtis Richardson to “educate me” as to why this is so…

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    1. I didn’t mean to infer the police officers are not worth what they are paid, it’s just that with all the talk of them being “underpaid”, I’m shocked to see what they are actually paid. They don’t appear to be underpaid…

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       1. Police Officers do make a decent living in this city, these are the pay for guys who have been serving the community for at least 15 years. Big question is how much would you need to get paid to respond to a call of a man armed with a knife in a laundromat. You have to go in and disarm him. I ask how much for just one time. How about a guy armed with a machete chopping up his family. Then the couple fighting over their bills. Throw in a couple of car crashes w injuries a few more domestics. 6 or 7 homeless people trespassing at various businesses, a few burglaries a few auto thefts all which have victims which need to be calmed and reassurred. How much do I have to pay you to do the above list. Yes I know I am missing a few calls but you get the idea this was last week for just one Officer. So strap on a on the bullet proof vest 30 pounds of fighting gear and enjoy the Tallahassee Summer. TPD is hiring!!! PS I love what I do and will gladly strap it all on again next week and step between the crazy and dangerous to protect the citizens of Tallahassee.

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          1. I really appreciate what you guys do. Even if I wanted to do it, I’m too old. This article wasn’t clear on specifics, it just says police officer. What is the starting pay? What is the average salary of officers with less than 15 years service? That would be a good starting point to objectively look at salaries. And, by the way, I wouldn’t do it for $100,000. I’m very thankful there are others that will. Thank you for your service and Happy 4th!

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             1. Sorry, just saw you listed the starting salary at $46,000…no way I’d do it for that.

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21. It’s time!

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22. What is the salary of the white policeman who tased a 61 year old black grandmother in the back for walking in the street, instead of on a non-existent sidewalk? He got only a slap on the wrist, a one month suspension.

    Is he in line for a raise too?

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    1. Not sure what race has to do with this. But just in case, you should ask Anita or “Mayor” Andy!

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    2. Ed…you are better than that comment.

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    3. Hope not Doc. They should’ve tossed him period that was such a bad error in judgement.

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23. OMG! These salaries are unbelievable. No wonder the City is always harping on needing money and continually raising the utility bills in Tallahassee — which are higher than most other cities in the state. And, tell me this: Why is it that a “Recreation Aide” — and if anyone even knows what that position is, please enlighten me — makes $112,000+ and a Civil Engineer III makes only $74,000+? Frankly, I had no idea the City of Tallahassee took in this much money in the first place. If I was in charge, I would eliminate half the jobs, reduce these salaries, and get rid of dead wood in the workplace and eliminate 80% of the social programs. Then maybe the utility bills would not be such a hardship on people who don’t make $100,000+ in income.

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24. The city operates the electric, water, gas and sewer utilities, all of which generate huge sums of money. That is both a blessing and a curse. Utility revenue, in part, is directed to the general fund. Unfortunately, the general fund pays for way too many programs. The benefit of owning the utilities should be lower taxes on the citizens. The special interest programs should be denied funding from the city.

    But ………..

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25. These salaries and some of the positions seem bizarre but be calm and in due time they will be explained and justified.

    Meanwhile, entertain yourself with thinking about the City’s need for a veterinarian @$84K, and an animal services manager @$75K. You’ll be surprised at the answer.

    And a citizen advocate @$74K. Isn’t that what you do, Steve? At no cost.

    We live in interesting times.

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26. What the hell does a “Recreation Aide” do for almost $94K a year? (Geez, I shoulda taken more gym classes in skrewel.)

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27. It is plain to see…I want a job with the city! WOW!

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