Who are the highest paid city employees in SLO County?

As residents across San Luis Obispo County prepare to vote on a half-cent sales tax increase for transportation improvements this November, a new review of public compensation data is bringing city budgets into sharp focus. An analysis of 2024 public pay records by CalCoastNews reveals that while the bulk of municipal employees receive standard annual pay increases of roughly 3%, certain administrative and public safety personnel have seen their total compensation surge over the past five years.

The data, sourced from the public pay and pension database Transparent California, highlights the highest-paid employees in each of the county's seven cities. The findings arrive at a critical time, as local municipalities grapple with rising operational costs, large pension debt payments, and the need to fund essential infrastructure.

San Luis Obispo Tops the Compensation Charts

San Luis Obispo leads the county in municipal employee compensation. According to the 2024 data, the city's highest earners are all within the police and fire departments. Because the city is currently making large pension debt payments, the total compensation figures—which include base salary, benefits, and pro-rated pension funds—are abnormally high for this reporting period.

The four highest-paid city employees in San Luis Obispo, and their corresponding total pay and benefits for 2024, are:

• Frederick Mickel, Deputy Police Chief: $531,280
• Brian Amoroso, Deputy Police Chief: $509,415
• John MacDonald, Fire Battalion Chief: $506,556
• Ray Hais-Doyle, Fire Battalion Chief: $478,867

Local residents have expressed concern over the numbers, particularly regarding the structure of the police department's command staff. With two deputy chiefs earning more than a half-million dollars in total compensation, taxpayers are questioning the necessity of such top-heavy leadership, especially as the city continues to navigate persistent issues like neighborhood disturbances and public safety response times.

A Closer Look at the 805 Region

Outside of San Luis Obispo, the highest-paid municipal officials generally fall into two categories: police chiefs and city managers. However, the rate at which their compensation has grown is drawing increased scrutiny.

For example, over the last five years, the Grover Beach city manager saw a 38% increase in salary and benefits. A similarly large increase was awarded to the Morro Bay chief of police position. These raises significantly outpace the standard 3% annual increases given to the majority of city staff.

Here is a breakdown of the top earners in the other six SLO County cities, based on the 2024 data:

Arroyo Grande

• Police Chief Michael Martinez: $380,250
• Assistant City Manager William Robeson: $360,940
• City Manager Matt Downing: $309,449
• Police Commander Zak Ayala: $301,824

Pismo Beach

• Police Chief Jeffrey Smith: $376,643
• City Manager Jorge Garcia: $370,928
• Police Commander Christopher Trimble: $325,743
• Police Commander Daniel Herlihy: $317,211

Grover Beach

• City Manager Matthew Bronson: $376,421
• Police Chief James Munroe III: $298,703
• Police Commander Bryan Millard: $271,845
• Assistant City Manager Kristin Eriksson-Embree: $267,694

Atascadero

• Fire Chief Casey Bryson: $363,143
• Police Chief Daniel Suttles: $342,578
• Fire Battalion Chief Matthew Miranda: $310,711
• City Manager James Lewis: $300,255

Paso Robles

• City Manager Ty Lewis: $351,982
• Operations Battalion Chief Brian Lewis: $341,940
• Police Chief Damian Nord: $329,134
• Fire Captain Joel Platter: $321,972

Morro Bay

• Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Vierra: $351,209
• Police Chief Amy Watkins: $336,998
• City Manager Yvonne Kimball: $327,979
• Fire Chief Daniel McCrain: $314,763

What This Means for the November Ballot

The release of these compensation figures adds a new layer to the upcoming November election, where voters countywide are being asked to approve a half-cent sales tax increase. The revenue from that measure is earmarked for essential transportation improvements.

Municipalities are tasked with balancing the rising costs of public safety and administrative leadership with the fundamental infrastructure needs of the community. When compensation for top-tier officials grows by nearly 40% over a five-year period, it inevitably takes a larger bite out of the general fund, leaving local governments scrambling to find alternative revenue streams or asking voters for tax hikes.

Balancing Budgets and Public Safety

For San Luis Obispo residents, the juxtaposition of massive pension payouts and a proposed sales tax increase is a tough pill to swallow. The CalCoastNews analysis notes that while the $500,000+ earnings of SLO's deputy police chiefs are inflated by one-time pension debt allocations, the baseline trend of escalating administrative pay remains undeniable.

Moving forward, city councils across the 805 region will face difficult decisions. As labor contracts come up for renewal and budget deficits loom, local leaders will have to justify the premium pay given to department heads and command staff. Public scrutiny over these numbers is likely to intensify as the November vote approaches, forcing residents to decide exactly how much they are willing to pay for local leadership.