U.S. President Makes over $400K annually. Livermore City Manager Makes over $300K annually.

This week in the news once again was about what salaries city managers make. I happened to run across a news story on the TV that said Livermore’s City Manager made over $300K annually and that was one of the highest in the area.

So of course it got me thinking.

According to Wisegeek, “As the administrative officer of a city, the city manager may create the city’s budget, oversee the day-to-day operations of the individual departments, make personnel decisions, and provide advice to and carries out the specific policies of the mayor and city council. In theory, the city manager does not typically make or set specific policy initiatives, but rather carries out the policies and directives as set by the council and the mayor. “

First off, most of City staff in Livermore is fantastic. What makes the City Manager’s position do well is the people who work for her and either she has done a nice job of hiring or the person before her did.

The City Manager’s position in Livermore, however to me is pure political. I have attended more city council meetings to know that when a “staff report” is written for city council that it does not always tell a complete story. Thankfully some of our City Council members are not asleep at the wheel and ask the questions that need to be asked. Attend any City Council meeting and pick up an Agenda packet or review it online. Ideas are sold are how things are written or not included in the report.

Do I think that $300K is a bit much for the City Manager of Livermore? When you think that the U.S. President makes over $400K then yes. The City Manager of Livermore has a city of approximately 85,000 people and the President, well, he has a nation of millions.