The Utah Taxpayers Association released a report on Monday showing more than half of Utah’s largest cities have at least one employee who earns more than Gov. Gary Herbert.
Herbert is paid $190,187.59 annually. According to the Taxpayers analysis, the three highest-paid municipal employees in 2017 were:
- Provo City’s Public Works Division Director, at $318,530.98.
- Salt Lake City’s Chief of Police, at $272,551.12
- West Valley City’s City Manager, at $259,277.56.
The analysis did note the Provo employee’s salary was “exceptionally higher” than previous years as they recieved more than $88,000 in “leave pay” last year.
In a statment, Billy Hesterman, vice president of the Utah Taxpayers Association, said, “Employee compensation is generally one of the top items taxpayers fund each year. As cities are finalizing their upcoming budgets, taxpayers should review employee compensation items in their budgets and make certain they are comfortable with the level of pay the city is giving to its employees.”
Several members of Gov. Gary Herbert’s staff also were paid more than him. Gov. Herbert’s chief of staff earned compensation of $230,694 while the executive director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget was compensated $225,258 in 2017.
Cities with at least one employee paid more than the governor:
- American Fork
- Bountiful
- Clearfield
- Clinton
- Cottonwood Heights
- Draper
- Farmington
- Kaysville
- Layton
- Lehi
- Logan
- Midvale
- Murray
- North Salt Lake
- Ogden
- Orem
- Provo
- Riverton
- Roy
- Salt Lake City
- Sandy
- Saratoga Springs
- South Jordan
- South Salt Lake
- Spanish Fork
- Springville
- St. George
- West Jordan
- West Valley City
