By Adam Andrzejewski | March 30, 2021
A lifeguard scans his territory near the famous Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California on ... [+] AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Being a lifeguard in California can be unbelievably lucrative. If we had only known, many of us would have packed our bags and headed west for a career on the California beach.
Our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com found that lifeguards make a fortune in Los Angeles County. Seven lifeguards made more than $300,000 and 82 lifeguards had total earnings that exceed $200,000 in 2019, the latest year available.
Fernando Boiteux was the most highly paid and earned $391,971. As the "acting chief lifeguard," he out-earned 1,000 of his peers: salary ($205,619), perks ($60,452), and benefits ($125,900).
The second highest paid, Captain Daniel Douglas, pulled down $140,706 in base pay, and a whopping $131,493 in overtime pay, with $21,760 in "other pay" and $74,709 in benefits. Total compensation amounted to $368,668.
Overtime pay drove earnings into corporate executive range.
Thirty-one lifeguards made between $50,000 and $131,493 in overtime during the year. For example, Daniel Douglas (comp: $368,668; overtime: $131,493), Jaro Snopek (comp: $292,455; overtime: $119,669) and James Orr (comp: $281,270; overtime: $113,015) each made over $100,000 in overtime alone.
Furthermore, we found that most of the top-paid lifeguards were men. In fact, only two of the top-twenty high-earners were women: Virginia Rupe ($281,000), a captain, and Christine Linkletter ($279,980), a section chief.
You might assume that high pay rewarded great heroism, but you'd be wrong. We found that many of the lifeguards who won the Medal of Valor – exhibiting bravery for saving lives – failed to crack the top of the county's payroll.
Fernando Boiteux was the most highly paid and earned $391,971. As the "acting chief lifeguard," he out-earned 1,000 of his peers: salary ($205,619), perks ($60,452), and benefits ($125,900).
The second highest paid, Captain Daniel Douglas, pulled down $140,706 in base pay, and a whopping $131,493 in overtime pay, with $21,760 in "other pay" and $74,709 in benefits. Total compensation amounted to $368,668.
Overtime pay drove earnings into corporate executive range.
Thirty-one lifeguards made between $50,000 and $131,493 in overtime during the year. For example, Daniel Douglas (comp: $368,668; overtime: $131,493), Jaro Snopek (comp: $292,455; overtime: $119,669) and James Orr (comp: $281,270; overtime: $113,015) each made over $100,000 in overtime alone.
Top 10 Highest Paid LA Lifeguards 2019 - pay, perks, health insurance and pension benefits equal ... [+] OPENTHEBOOKS.COM
Furthermore, we found that most of the top-paid lifeguards were men. In fact, only two of the top-twenty high-earners were women: Virginia Rupe ($281,000), a captain, and Christine Linkletter ($279,980), a section chief.
You might assume that high pay rewarded great heroism, but you'd be wrong. We found that many of the lifeguards who won the Medal of Valor – exhibiting bravery for saving lives – failed to crack the top of the county's payroll.
The 2020 Medal of Valor winner, Edward "Nick" Macko, an ocean lifeguard specialist, earned "only" $134,144 in compensation. His compensation ranked 167th out of the 1,001 employees in the L.A. lifeguard corps.
Macko jumped into the rough waters in a remote Palos Verdes gorge and pulled a man to safety through potentially skull-crushing swells and over razor-sharp rocks. Most of his rescue was captured on video and shows why he earned the honor.
Please go to Forbes to read more.
Nearly 80,000 California retirees are receiving $100,000 or more in pension pay, new data show
Update 12/23/19: The statewide total is now 80,540 after accounting for new data from the University of California, which saw a 24.5% year-over-year increase in their $100K club.
The number of California retirees collecting a public pension of $100,000 or more hit an all-time high of 79,235 last year, up 85 percent since 2013.
That’s according to an analysis of 2018 pension payout data posted on Transparent California — the state’s largest public pay and pension database.
Those receiving pension payouts of at least $100,000 accounted for nearly 20 percent of the $51.7 billion total payments made last year, which is also an all-time high, according to the data.
“The only reason public pensions are an issue of public concern is because of the costs they impose on taxpayers,” explained Transparent California Executive Director Robert Fellner.
“The data show that one out of every five dollars paid out by California's public pension funds last year went to someone who is drawing an annual pension of at least $100,000," Fellner said.
Data from the US Census Bureau reveals a similar explosion in taxpayer costs, which hit an all-time high of $39.3 billion last year, more than double the amount spent in 2013.
"Guaranteed, lifetime annual pensions of over $100,000 are quite expensive, as the soaring cost to taxpayers in recent years makes quite clear," Fellner concluded.
The number of retirees receiving annualized pensions of at least $100,000 at the Kern County pension fund increased 21 percent from 2017 to 2018, the biggest year-over-year increase of any pension fund statewide, as shown in the below table:
Please go to Transparent California to read more.
California Residents: Recall Governor Newsom
HONORED TO BE AN ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICE PROVIDER.
Please go to Forbes to read more.
Nearly 80,000 California retirees are receiving $100,000 or more in pension pay, new data show
BY ROBERT FELLNER | NOVEMBER 5, 2019
Update 12/23/19: The statewide total is now 80,540 after accounting for new data from the University of California, which saw a 24.5% year-over-year increase in their $100K club.
The number of California retirees collecting a public pension of $100,000 or more hit an all-time high of 79,235 last year, up 85 percent since 2013.
That’s according to an analysis of 2018 pension payout data posted on Transparent California — the state’s largest public pay and pension database.
Those receiving pension payouts of at least $100,000 accounted for nearly 20 percent of the $51.7 billion total payments made last year, which is also an all-time high, according to the data.
“The only reason public pensions are an issue of public concern is because of the costs they impose on taxpayers,” explained Transparent California Executive Director Robert Fellner.
“The data show that one out of every five dollars paid out by California's public pension funds last year went to someone who is drawing an annual pension of at least $100,000," Fellner said.
Data from the US Census Bureau reveals a similar explosion in taxpayer costs, which hit an all-time high of $39.3 billion last year, more than double the amount spent in 2013.
"Guaranteed, lifetime annual pensions of over $100,000 are quite expensive, as the soaring cost to taxpayers in recent years makes quite clear," Fellner concluded.
The number of retirees receiving annualized pensions of at least $100,000 at the Kern County pension fund increased 21 percent from 2017 to 2018, the biggest year-over-year increase of any pension fund statewide, as shown in the below table:
Please go to Transparent California to read more.
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