County Releases Pension Data

152 Former Employees Receive More Than $100,000 Per Year

The average pensioner getting money from the Santa Barbara County Employee Retirement System (SBCERS) receives $2,881.85 a month, or $34,582.21 a year, according to data provided by SBCERS last week.

Of the 2,904 people who receive a pension through SBCERS, 152 get more than $100,000 per year and 25 people — including ten who worked in the Sheriff’s Department — receive more than $150,000. Of the top 25, eight served as the heads of their respective departments at one time or another. Six retired prosecutors from the DA’s office are also in the top 25. The highest name on the list is longtime District Attorney Tom Sneddon, who rakes in a whopping $224,672.64 every year.

The information was made available after a public records request from multiple newspapers. Recent court decisions require retirement systems to identify members receiving retirement allowances.

On the other end of the spectrum, 167 people receive less than $500 a month. There are 28 people who receive less than $100 a month.

Former County CEO Mike Brown collects $10,151.48 a month, or $121,817.76 annually. Attached at the bottom is a PDF of all SBCERS retirees, their monthly benefit, and their last employer.

Here are the top 15 names on the list:

1. Tom Sneddon, $224,672.64

2. Ken Shemwell, $206,803

3. Jim Anderson, $206,448.12

4. Jim Thomas, $190,045.32

5. Norman Horsley, $189,666.24

6. Patrick McKinley, $189,497.76

7. Kenneth Pettit, $186,071.52

8. Thomas Martinez, $185,062.32

9. Jim Laponis, $184,982.88

10. R. Scott DeuPree, $183,598.32

11. Tom Franklin, $178,773