The Daily Independent collected information on the top 25 highest paid municipal workers from every Valley city based on salaries that ended for the fiscal year of 2022.
Independent Newsmedia Graphic
Valley municipalities must offer competitive wages and benefits in order to attract top talent.
The highest paid municipal workers are seeing bumps in their salaries, with many making hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Daily Independent collected information on the top 25 highest paid municipal workers from every Valley city based on salaries that ended for the fiscal year of 2022. And like their private-sector counterparts, those workers have seen a hike in their paychecks, and the biggest cities have the highest-paid workers.
The average salary of the top 25 municipal employees rose about 7.4% between the average of $239,666 in 2001 and $257,591 in 2023.
The city of Mesa has the most top 25 highest-paid municipal employees in the Valley for 2023, according to data compiled by Independent Newsmedia.
Mesa, which had a population of 512,498 last July as recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau, has one more employee on that list than the city of Phoenix, the data said.
Phoenix is the fifth-most populous city in the U.S. with 1.644 million residents, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
Making the top of the list in each city typically are the highest levels of city government, which includes city managers, city attorneys and various department directors. The overall highest-paid list culled from the combined city lists found city managers and city attorneys making up the bulk of the highest paid positions around the region, according to the data.
In determining these rates of pay, city officials around the Valley say they are using studies that look at market rates of pay around the region and for cities of comparable sizes to determine compensation.
On this year’s top 25 list, there is one police chief (Mesa), one city judge (Scottsdale) and one consultant (Peoria) who was the former city manager who were among those with the highest salaries, the numbers said.
Jeffrey Barton — city manager for the city of Phoenix — is the highest paid municipal employee in the Valley. His annual salary is $372,814.
Scottsdale’s interim city manager — Jim Thompson, a contract employee who previously served as city manager before retiring — makes the second-highest salary at $347,000, Independent Newsmedia data shows. His previous salary was $375,000 annually.
Christopher Brady, city manager at the city of Mesa, pulls in $304,907 per year while Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps makes $302,199 annually, data shows.
“The city of Phoenix recognizes the work our 14,000 (plus) employees do to keep the fifth-largest city in the nation running smoothly and efficiently,” said Ashley Patton, deputy communications director with the city of Phoenix. “The city began a classification and compensation study in 2021 to not only ensure that our employee job classifications and pay structures are aligned with the local municipal market, but to also make our pay ranges a local market leader. Setting market-leading pay ranges demonstrates the value the city places on our employees The city of Tempe benchmarks its salaries against other Valley cities, said Kris Baxter-Ging, spokeswoman at the city.
Tempe City Manager Rosa Inchausti makes $315,000 for the fiscal year that started July 1, Baxter- Ging said.
“Attracting the top talent to careers with our community is a priority for the city of Tempe,” she said. “To be competitive in today’s market, the city of Tempe benchmarks salaries against other area cities. We evaluate each position within the market and also consider factors such as experience and job performance. We strive to be a top-tier government employer so that we can provide the best programs and services for our residents, our workforce and our visitors.”
Professionalism, workforce skills and experience all come into play when it comes to putting together a quality workforce, said Peoria City Manager Henry Darwin.
In Mesa, a four-day work week is an attractive perk for retaining employees, said Kevin Christopher, a city of Mesa spokesman.
“Pay is one of the many important factors when recruiting individuals and rewarding employees who have dedicated their professional careers to serving Mesa residents and businesses,” Christopher said. “Other factors include a four-day week and allowing employees to work remotely. But it has been even more important given the economy. The city conducts studies of salaries of neighboring valley cities to make sure our pay scale remains competitive in what is a very competitive job market.”
Like Tempe, Peoria officials use salaries of other Valley municipalities as a benchmark, one official said. The city has two employees among the top-paid 25 employees in the Valley.
“It is important that we offer competitive pay and benefits to keep great people here and to be able to attract new talent as people transition out of the organization through retirement, etc.,” Darwin said.
But a Glendale official points out an overall package including a weekly work schedule is vital to getting quality employees.
For example, Glendale wants to attract top talent to departments from police and fire to streets, water, parks and sanitation, said Jim Brown, Glendale’s director of human resources and risk management.
“...Pay is one factor but health benefits, the ability to earn sick and vacation time, wellness programs, flex schedules and providing a good work/life balance are also some key components of attracting and retaining the best employees,” Brown said.
Brent Ruffner joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2021 where he writes about developments at TSMC and Maricopa County issues, including election topics.
He's written about stories that range from accusations that a Mesa monkey breeding facility is unsafe to what to do if you encounter a rattlesnake in the desert.
Community: He is a supporter of the American Cancer Society.
Education: Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University, May 2007.
Random Fact: He met former San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays at a Phoenix Firebird game after winning a contest for an autographed baseball.
Hobbies: Hiking in the woods and collecting sports memorabilia.
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