While the City of Bell has now emerged as the poster child for bloated government excess—paying its (now ex-) city manager $787,000 a year, its police chief $457,000, and its mayor $96,000—its counterparts within the City of Santa Barbara are more modestly compensated.
By comparison, Santa Barbara City Administrator Jim Armstrong makes $231,000 a year plus benefits and retirement; Police Chief Cam Sanchez, $194,000; City Attorney Steve Wiley, $219,000; Fire Chief Andy DiMizio, $175,000; and Parks and Recreation czar Nancy Rapp, $158,000. While four of Bell’s five councilmembers make $96,000, Santa Barbara’s mayor Helene Schneider is paid $50,000, and her council colleagues make $40,000.
Uproar over Bell’s compensation packages has been intense, prompting the city manager to resign and the mayor to accept a 90-percent pay cut.