Police officers earning six-figure salaries double ranks in Revere

REVERE – The number of city six-figure salary earners jumped from 44 to 70 between 2006 to 2007 with School Superintendent Paul Dakin and top aide Ann Marie Costa topping the list.The number of police officers earning more than $100,000 doubled between 2006 and 2007. Their gross earnings included base salaries combined, in many cases, with overtime and earnings from details typically paid by private businesses to the city based on rates set in police contracts.Eight police officers earned more than $40,000 in detail money in 2007 compared to four in 2006. One earned more than $50,000.”The Revere Street bridge (reconstruction) was a gold mine for the Revere police all through 2007,” said Mayor Thomas Ambrosino.Police Captain James Guido ranked third on the city’s salary list earning $151,700 including $23,200 in police detail pay. Dakin earned $182,000 while Costa was paid $153,000 last year by Revere taxpayers.That was more than the $150,500 earned in 2007 by Police Chief Terence Reardon. Ambrosino ranked 23rd on the 2007 top earners’ list with his $115,900 salary while City Clerk John Henry earned $131,300.In addition to 39 police officers whose gross earnings included money paid for details, five firefighters and 21 school employees, including a dozen principals and assistants, earned more than $100,000 in 2007.Nineteen police officers, 13 school officials and eight firefighters as well as City Hall employees earned more than $100,000 in 2006.More than 1,200 people work full-time for the city and in the public schools. Their payroll totaled $54.7 million in 2007.Dakin earned $177,137 in 2006, making him city government’s top wage earner, and $153,716 in 2005. Taxpayers paid 29 other city and school workers more than $100,000 that year compared to 25 in 2004. That number included eight principals compared to seven in 2004.Detail pay in 2007 included in gross earnings for police officers ranged from the $53,973 included in police officer Emir Saric’s $113,800 salary to $4,900 included in officer David Callahan’s $150,300 salary.Paychecks handed out to elected officials in 2007 ranged from $20,131 to current City Council President George Colella to $13,831 to more junior councilors and $12,300 paid to School Committee members.Appointed officials’ paychecks included $1,599 paid to License Commission Chairman Michael Pepe and $4,599 paid in 2007 to Conservation Commission Chairman And-rew DeSantis. Members of other boards received $800.In 2006, elected and appointed officials’ salaries ranged from $6,000 to $12,300 for committee members and $13,363 to $19,600 for councilors.