$100G municipal salary club grows in Revere

REVERE – Sixty-five city and school employees earned more than $100,000 in 2009 compared to 44 in 2006 with last year’s top 10 pay list, including Police Lt. Carl Ruggiero, who combined more than $40,000 in paid detail income with his city salary to earn the 10th highest salary among city workers.Ruggiero’s income totaled $135,000 and earned him a slot in the municipal salary Top 10 list with five other officers and Chief Terence Reardon, who earned $166,000 in 2009, making him the city’s second highest earner behind School Superintendent Paul Dakin.https://newitemlive.wpengine.com/special/salaries/?id=7Dakin earned $185,640 in 2009, roughly $3,000 more than his 2008 salary. He is a consistent top earner among city and school workers along with Assistant Superintendent Ann Marie Costa, who saw her salary jump from $149,000 in 2008 to more than $161,000 last year.Top police earners in 2008 included Lt. David Callahan, who ranked fourth on the 2009 salary list and combined his salary with detail pay to earn $163,000 in 2008.One top 2008 earner saw a salary drop last year: Fire Chief Eugene Doherty earned $150,000 in 2009 – more than $8,000 less than his 2008 salary.Doherty attributed the cut to a reduction in reimbursements he received as a state hazardous materials response team member.Mayor Thomas Ambrosino ranked 31st on the list behind top earning city public safety and school officials with his $116,000 salary. By contrast, Ambrosino ranked 22nd on the 2006 salary list with his $112,000 salary.The six-figure salary list for city workers has ballooned by 50 percent in four years with 19 police officers, 13 school officials and eight firefighters as well as City Hall employees earning over $100,000 in 2006 while 33 officers, 22 school employees and seven Fire Department superior officers earned six figures in 2009 along with Ambrosino, Public Works Foreman Paul Argenzio and city Chief Financial Officer George Anzuoni.Dakin earned $177,137 in 2006 while Reardon earned $144,853.Police detail earnings are typically paid by private businesses to the city based on rates set in police collective bargaining contracts. The details became controversial two years ago when Gov. Deval Patrick proposed replacing police with civilian flag holders paid at a state wage rate.Police officers and their unions across the state questioned the safety merits of Patrick’s proposal and staged protests opposing flaggers.In 2009, seven officers earned $30,000 to $40,000 in detail income while 16 earned between $20,000 and $30,000.Annual salaries for elected officials ranged from $6,000 to $12,300 for School Committee members and $15,000 to over $20,000 annually for City Council members. Higher salaries reflect length of service in office or ranking positions on the committee and council.