City Employee Pay
San Luis Obispo County
Tribune reporters sought to provide a comprehensive look at how much top city officials earn in San Luis Obispo County. To do so, two reporters filed Public Records Act Requests with the county’s seven cities in early August, requesting salary and benefit information about city managers and department heads.
The data provided to The Tribune included a base salary plus other forms of compensation, including health benefits, retirement contributions, and cell phone and vehicle allowances.
San Luis Obispo's top city employees
Average salary: $152,712 | Average benefits: $65,476 | Average total compensation: $218,188
Who makes what in San Luis Obispo
Click on an employee's name to see a breakdown of their compensation.
| Name | Job title | Base salary | Total benefits | Total compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katie Lichtig | City Manager | $221,520 | $89,732 | $311,252 |
| Deborah Linden | Police Chief | $160,394 | $73,821 | $234,215 |
| Christine Dietrick | City Attorney | $155,012 | $69,840 | $224,852 |
| Carrie Mattingly | Utilities | $154,544 | $62,869 | $217,413 |
| John Mandeville | Community Development Director | $154,544 | $61,213 | $215,757 |
| Jay Walter | Public Works Director | $151,450 | $65,958 | $217,408 |
| Shelly Stanwyck | Recreation Director | $144,768 | $65,555 | $210,323 |
| Monica Irons | Human Resources | $139,516 | $56,651 | $196,167 |
| Michael Codron | Assistant City Manager | $92,664 | $43,642 | $136,306 |
How San Luis Obispo's city employees compare
This graph shows the total compensation each San Luis Obispo city employee receives. The darker blue is the amount of base salary; the lighter blue is the amount of benefits.
According to employment data from the state Employment Development Department, the average wage of 99,740 people working in the public and private sectors during the first quarter of 2010 – not including benefits –was $43,981.
A look at compensation vs. population
This graph shows how much money, in dollars, each San Luis Obispo employee earns per city resident. Comparing compensation per capita across similar positions shows the disparity in compensation between large and small cities in the county.
The estimated population of San Luis Obispo as of January 1, 2010 was 44,948
A comparison of total compensation vs. the city's general fund
Here's a look at how much of the city's general fund is spent on salary and benefits for a particular employee. In local governments, the general fund budget accounts for most unrestricted spending decisions made by its elected governing body, including salaries.
San Luis Obispo's general fund in 2010 is $50,769,700. Source: City of San Luis Obispo