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Bucks County employee salaries, 2008-2011
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Sunshine Review reviewed Bucks County employee salaries from 2008-2011. The information was gathered from county data after Sunshine Review filed a public records request.
Salaries and benefits
Salaries
As of 2011, there were three county employees earning over $150,000 in annual salaries.[1]
- Michelle A. Henry, the district attorney, earned $160,850. That amount had held since January 2009.
- David W. Heckler, also a district attorney, earned $163,584.45, up from $160,850 in 2010.
- As of January 2011, County Health Director David C. Damsker earned $183,905.95, up from $165,000 in 2008.
Other county employees earning over $100,000 annually as of 2011 included:[2]
- County Manager Lynn T. Bush, who earned $106,869.10.
- David Sanko, the chief operating officer, who earned $140,688.58.
Two members of the Bucks County Board of Commissioners earned a salary of $81,514.16 while Commissioner James Cawley earned $90,072.70 after serving six years on the board. Cawley resigned from the board in 2011 to become Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor.[3] Cawley was replaced on the board by Robert G. Loughery.[4] Loughery was not a commissioner when Sunshine Review requested salary data from Bucks County.
Benefits
Sunshine Review requested information on benefits provided by Bucks County from 2008-2011. The information was gathered from county data after Sunshine Review filed a public records request. The county provides medical and prescription coverage to ten of its 11 employees. Each rate is based on the individual's plan election and dependent enrollment.[5]
| Name | 2010 medical | 2010 prescription |
|---|---|---|
| Martin, Charles H. | $1,293.58 | $402.14 |
| Cawley, James F. | $1,647.78 | $402.14 |
| Marseglia, Diane M E. | $1,239.08 | $402.14 |
| Hessenthaler, Brian | $1,647.78 | $402.14 |
| Bush, Lynn T. | $585.17 | $180.12 |
| Henry, Michelle A. | $585.17 | $180.12 |
| Donnelly, Edward J. | $1,293.58 | $402.14 |
| McHugh, Raymond F. | $1,647.78 | $402.14 |
| David M. Damsker, M.D. | $1,647.78 | $402.14 |
District Attorney David Heckler did not receive any coverage under the Bucks County plan according to data provided by the county. Likewise, David Sanko did not have any Bucks County coverage in 2010.[7]
Teachers
- See also: Pennsylvania public school, salary
Nearly 7% of public school teachers in Bucks and Montgomery Counties earned more than $100,000 in December 2010, and 36% make more than $80,000.[8]
Phone use
After reviewing the FOIA request filed by Sunshine Review, Bucks County officials denied the request for information on county-provided cellular telephones. In a letter to Sunshine Review, county officials said there was not enough specificity in the request.[9]
Car use
After reviewing the FOIA request filed by Sunshine Review, Bucks County officials denied the request for information on county-provided automobiles. In a letter to Sunshine Review, officials said there was not enough specificity in the request.[10]
The following table outlines cost of vehicle maintenance in Bucks County according to the county's 2011 Vehicle Maintenance Report:[11]
| Year | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Vehicle maintenance cost | $111,525.10 | $109,164.03 | $66,089.97 |
In 2009, 25 employees that had take-home vehicles from 2008 were forced to pay taxes on those vehicles at an average of $2,175. After the change, only six employees planned to keep take-home vehicles.[12]
Salary records project
In 2011, Sunshine Review chose 152 local governments as the focus of research on public employee salaries. The editors of Sunshine Review selected eight states with relevant political contexts (listed alphabetically):
1. California
2. Florida
3. Illinois
4. Michigan
5. New Jersey
6. Pennsylvania
7. Texas
8. Wisconsin
Within these states, the editors of Sunshine Review focused on the most populous cities, counties and school districts, as well as the emergency services entities within these governments. The purpose of this selection method was to develop articles on governments affecting the most citizens.
The salary information garnered from these states were a combination of existing online resources and state Freedom of Information Act requests sent out to the governments.
A study published by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia said the city of Philadelphia faced challenges owing to the cost of public employee pensions.[13] The report claimed the amount that Philadelphia paid to pension recipients limited the city’s ability to use its budget effectively.
The report said there were more individuals receiving pension benefits—33,907 claimants in 2006—than workers in the city—28,701.[13] The authors recommended three steps towards addressing the problem of high costs in pensions: improved data collection, expanded transparency initiatives, and reductions to the city's overall budget.[13]
Salary schedules can be published as ranges, not as specific compensation figures, and may leave out compensation received through health and retirement benefits, as well as benefits such as commuter allowances and cell phone reimbursements. This project aimed to close the gap and provide a more accurate picture of public employee salaries for the sake of public education and transparency.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Salary Information
- ↑ Salary Information
- ↑ Bucks County, Commissioner Jim Cawley Delivers Farewell Remarks to County Residents and Colleagues, January 10, 2011
- ↑ Philadelphia Inquirer, "Loughery chosen as Bucks County commissioner," January 26, 2011
- ↑ Benefits Information (dead link)
- ↑ Benefits Information (dead link)
- ↑ Benefits Information (dead link)
- ↑ Philly.com, "Teacher salaries issue sharpens across region," December 20, 2010
- ↑ Letter to Sunshine Review
- ↑ Letter to Sunshine Review
- ↑ Bucks County "Vehicle Maintenance Report"
- ↑ Government Fleet, "Bucks County Fleet Reduces Take-Home Vehicles"
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 '’Philadelphia’s Quiet Crisis: The Rising Cost of Employee Benefits, Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, January 23, 2008
