LOS ANGELES – Lancaster’s city manager earned total compensation exceeding a half-million dollars in 2018, putting him among the top three earning city managers in all of California, according to new data from the California State Controller’s Office.
Mark Bozigian, who retired as City Manager of Lancaster in late December, earned total compensation of $537,257, which included $302,646 in regular pay, a lump sum payment of $205,281, and the remainder in retirement and health benefits. [View a breakdown from the State Controller’s website here.]
Redlands’ City Manager N. Enrique Martinez, who was fired following sexual harassment claims, finished at the top of the state’s list of city managers, with total compensation of $845,325. And the second highest earning city manager in the state was Moreno Valley’s city manager Tom DeSantis, who earned total compensation of $588,221 in 2018, according to the data.
Total compensation is what it costs public agencies to employ each worker. It includes the worker’s total wages, as well as what governments pay for their health and retirement benefits.
“My public pay database is a transparency tool to help Californians do their own analyses of government spending,” Controller Betty Yee said in a statement. “The website provides a better understanding of how taxpayer dollars are spent, which can help keep citizens informed and leaders accountable.”
Statewide, 220 city and county workers earned more than a half-million last year, and nearly half of them, 106, were from Southern California’s four-county area.
Los Angeles County dominated with 78 half-million-dollar workers; Los Angeles city had 13; San Bernardino County had three; Riverside County had two; and Orange County had one. The cities of Lancaster, Gardena, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, , Moreno Valley, Redlands, Riverside, Santa Ana and Torrance each contributed one half-million-dollar worker.
How do public workers get such big payouts? Meaty severance payouts for getting terminated or retiring, and decades-worth of hoarded vacation time, often are at work.
Overtime is also famous for ballooning worker pay, with firefighters and public safety officers leading the pack.
A Los Angeles city fire captain earned $133,060 in regular pay, and more than twice that — $298,652 — in overtime.
For total compensation data on Lancaster’s 779 city employees, click here. For total compensation data on Palmdale’s 714 city employees, click here.
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Deborah Enay says
I work for Mark as a secretary for three years, prior to him becoming city manager. Although we had our issues, I can honestly say he is one of the hardest working men I’ve worked with in my forty year career. He was available 24 seven by phone, and truly loved the city he worked for. He loved his family, wife and children And always found time in his very busy hectic schedule to coach his son’s sporting events.
Matt says
I dont care if he somehow worked 25 hours a day, 7 days a week. The way this city has gone down hill in the last 20 years, NOBODY should be trying to justify that kind of money. In fact, you would think people would be losing their jobs. Just because you work hard at something doesn’t mean you do it well now does it.
PasadenaIsCool says
It’s important to note that the city manager of Pasadena made a salary of $335,416, not counting benefits. This is PASADENA folks. Lancaster is no Pasadena.
East Lancaster says
Pasadena’s worst day is better than Lancaster’s best day.
#LancasterFailure #DumpRex #FernStreetMafia
CORY WITHERS says
THIS IS WHAT TYPICAL SCUMBAG TRUMP SUPPORTERS DO JUST LEACHING OF OUR HARD WORKING PAYING TAX DOLLARS JUST LIKE DON THE CON TRUMP AND HIS ILLEGAL ALIEN WIFE NOT BORN IN THE US MELANIA TRUMP WE NEED TO DEPORT NER BACK TO RUSSIA ASAP
Fooled again says
All Republican City Council should be ashamed, they are not!
Rego says
It’s a No Wonder why we are taxed to death in California
JPB says
He was the best that the Fern Street Mafia could buy. They couldn’t get rid of LaSalla fast enough after he opened the books and started asking questions. The FSM needs a loyal and compliant soldier to keep their coffers filled.
Ed says
Mark is a friend of mine, for years I have seen him on call 24 hrs a day.
Millions of dollars have been both generated and saved by his decisions to better the City.
A lot of the the income shown here was a one time sick pay benefit.
He never called in Sick he gave his life and family time to the Citizens of Lancaster.
William says
Millions of dollars generated for who? $10 million for a failed LEAPS? That money goes to Visco. Ecolution? Where did that money go? We know Ehrlich is getting $25 million to build 52 units on this so called homeless project. $480,000 per unit? No wonder why there are so many homeless people in Lancaster. Our roads are a joke and the black paint isn’t helping. Our streets are full of empty bike lanes.
Millions of dollars have certainly been generated. For who?
Alexis says
Don’t know where you got your numbers, William. Kensington Campus will have 102 units permanent supportive housing, bridge housing for 156 individuals. 20,000 sg. ft. of support service space, and 12,000 sq. ft. enterprise job creation building. The People Concern will provide the social services support and resident support. This is a wonderful project, and I am happy to see something finally being done, instead of just talk.
Arnie Rodio says
Mark has kept the cash going to the same good old boys that his father did. The club is in good hands now that Jasen is in charge so there is no need for Mark. Same circle same payouts same results. Voters deserve what they have.
William says
My mistake, Alexis. 51 is the first phase. It will be 102 units, at a cost of $245,098 per unit. It would have helped more people if they built out the older county facility on Avenue I for $35 million and housed 700, and served 1,200.
But Rex’s buddy Scott Ehrlich was not in on that deal. If Rex wanted to, he could have gotten that approved but he did not want to.
Chalk up another win for the good old boy network.
Ron says
That is just ridiculous. No wonder cities and counties are always broke.
Joe says
Pretty much what I expect from our government. Maybe these folks should be paid an average wage, one of their constituents they are supposed to SERVE not STEAL. the middle class in this country is being decimated by historically low interest rates, exploding debts and deficits, tax cuts for the rich, corporate welfare, corrupt politicians on EVERY LEVEL. They are gambling YOUR pensions and social security in risky markets in search of high yields because the bond market is dead. 7.5% annual return needed to keep your retirements funded because guess what, they are severely underfunded to the tune of 124 TRILLION dollars in unfunded liabilities. They have printed us into oblivion with the rest of the worlds central banks. America needs to wake up. It’s time to force some change. Things are only going to get worse until we do.
Tim Scott says
And that doesn’t include all the profits on corrupt side deals that he was in with Wrecks and the boys. Nice work if you have absolutely no conscience.
Tom says
Don’t be jealous, now you all know which field to get into someday. People don’t understand city government a city manager is a daily job where as a mayor or city council member work is less hours then a part time job, they hold monthly meetings for an hour or so, attend city events, open houses, the fun parts of a city. All while the city manager is the one actually running operations of the city. Its the town council that determined a city managers pay. Don’t hate the men or women who are smart and found a job with great pay.
steve says
while the city itself goes to [removed]?
I Give Up says
Golden parachute and a poor job at that when you look at the condition of our roads and a crime rate that makes ones family afraid to go out at night. This is shameful
Compensation says
That is a lot of money for someone who is managing a dying entity.
Work says
Your parks are green and weed free, your sewers don’t flow into the street, the roads are smooth in 90% of the city. Lancasters issues with crime is not a city managers job, he has no arresting authority, you want Lancaster crime free talk to the sheriff, police your own neighborhoods, clean abandoned lots, let landlords in your area know your tired of section 8 housing or regular renters. It’s a fact something someone owns will be better taken care of. But remember you have to do your part and sitting at a computer complaining won’t solve crap.
steve says
What? Have you actually driven these embarrassing roads? NOT !~!
Karin says
That’s is a ridiculously high wage for that job. He was making a salary worthy of someone who generates money (ex: inventor or business person) and thereby creates jobs for other people. He just sucked up taxpayer money. And now he’s got a sweet job with the Jethawks.
Gross. Greedy. Wrong.
DAN AUGUST says
PUBLIC SERVANTS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE. BUT INSTEAD WE HAVE BECOME SERVANTS TO THEM AND THIS IS WHY OUR CITIES HAVE A HOMELESS PROBLEM. HOW ABOUT TAKING 100K FROM THESE MAYORS TO PAY FOR SOME EXPERT TO SOLVE THE HOMELESS PROBLEM. AND NO, NOT ANOTHER SELF SERVING POLITICIAN.
ANNON says
…and what does Rex have to say about this?
DAN AUGUST says
REX is in on it too. They are all in bed together massaging each others bananas and in some cases massaging their warm muffin cracked some buttered some not