Rahm's Chicago: 2,409 City Employees Make Over $100k per Year

While residents across Chicago continue to struggle facing a 10.3 percent unemployment rate and a median household income of $47,371, according to the 2010 U.S. Census the city of Chicago is paying 2,409 of its employees over $100,000 per year.

The city’s roughly $2.4 billion payroll includes over 32,000 police, firefighters, emergency responders, city council (aldermen and their staff), mayoral staff, water management staff, transportation, budget management, animal control, crossing guards, librarians, foster grandparents, etc., who are paid an average of $74,698.

The city payroll does not include school employees, 1,500 of whom also earn more than $100,000 a year.

Of the 2,409 city employees making over $100k, the average annual income is $114,610, with 137 employees making over $150,000. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is paid $216,210, Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago is paid $202,728, and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy leads the pack at $260,004 a year. Aldermen are paid roughly $114,000 a year.

The city’s Budget director, Alexandra Holt, and Chief Financial Officer are both paid $169,992.

On Wednesday, Emanuel’s office released its Annual Financial Analysis for 2013, forecasting a “budget shortfall” of $330 million for 2014. Despite the “shortfall” and Moody’s recent triple downgrade of the city’s bond rating, the budget forecast estimates the city payroll will increase nearly $100 million for the next year.

Employees making over $100,000 a year account for $276,097,550 of the city’s annual expenses.