S.F. officials earn more than state counterparts

There is one consolation for Mayor Gavin Newsom now that he's dropped out of the governor's race - he won't have to take a $72,477-a-year pay cut.

Newsom, who earns $246,464 as mayor of San Francisco, would have seen his pay drop to $173,987 if he had won the governor's race, as a result of the salary cuts imposed on state elected officers last week.

Under the new pay levels, the governor gets about $25,000 a year less than San Francisco's park and recreation director, Phil Ginsburg.

And if District Attorney Kamala Harris wins the race to become the next attorney general, her annual pay will drop $76,212.

The A.G.'s pay of $151,127 is roughly equal to the base salary of a San Francisco police captain.

"That's a significant cut," Harris said. "But if I'm lucky enough to get elected, I'll take it.

"If I had gone into law to make money, I wouldn't be here in the first place," Harris added.

On the other hand, if you went into the San Francisco Fire Department and rose to the rank of deputy chief, you could make more than the state superintendent of public instruction ($151,127) and the state controller, treasurer and insurance commissioner - all of whom just saw their salaries cut to $139,189.

Even San Francisco's supervisors - who get $96,155 - are now making more than state legislators. State lawmakers' pay, which had been $116,208, just dropped to $95,291.

On the other hand: Former state Sen. and ex-state Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres just saw his salary at the taxpayer-funded California Institute of Regenerative Medicine triple to $225,000 a year.

Meanwhile the average citizen who scratches and scrapes to make $40K, is being extorted with taxes so that the fat cats can enjoy life.

Time for a Tax Revolt.

The lid is about to come off in this Country and California is so corrupt it might be first. Three classes, the elite super rich criminals, middle class that is living day to day, and the poor that just are so damn poor that they live on Government handouts. The poor are locked in to what they can get from Government and these are the voters that will keep the corrupt super rich in power both in Government and private sector. SF is just a tip of the iceberg.

There’s ample reason why SF pays so much. It’s EXPENSIVE to live there. Nobody would take those jobs otherwise. CA State pay doesn’t adjust for where you live within the state.Some time ago I was looking at working for the state crime DNA lab in Richmond.. got a call for interview from them and asked what the pay was.. 2800 a month for that lab (at the time).. Apartments even in the ‘hood up there are 1000 a month.. do the math. Can’t live there after taxes take their bite. Figure taxes get about 1000 of the monthly money. another 1000 for rent. Utilities, car, food, and you’re in the minus category. And you’re NOT allowed to have other jobs. Told them I couldn’t do it, as I didnt want to live on a park bench or in a cardboard box under an overpass.They had 22 openings they couldn’t fill.

If you live in SF itself, forget it. It’s as pricey as NY City at least. The salaries have to compensate for cost of living to some degree, or you’re just not going to get people to do it. People forget that when they hear about the “high pay”.. it comes with even HIGHER taxes and costs.

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