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Joyce joined The Tampa Tribune as senior editor for metro in 2005 and later helped launch TBO.com’s continuous news desk. He has worked as an editor and reporter in Arizona, Kentucky, Virginia, Idaho and Stuart, Fla. Email

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What you pay government workers in the news

Posted Feb 1, 2010 by Dennis Joyce

Updated Feb 1, 2010 at 06:26 PM

With a new state budget in the works, a high speed rail system set to break ground, the Gasparilla parade this weekend, and prep football signings, the Tribune turned to a host of government sources to tell many of our stories during the weekend.

Since they work for you, we though you’d be interested in knowing how much you pay them.

Here, from our database “Who’s on your payroll?” are the salaries of government workers who were in the news:

Charlie Crist, our governor, makes $132,932, less than the state of Florida’s Budget Director Jerry McDaniel, whose salary is $138,600, and more than George Sheldon, secretary of the Department of Children and Families, who receives $135,000.

Rounding out newsmakers on the state of Florida’s payroll, House Speaker Larry Cretul and Senate President Jeff Atwater make $41,181, and Reps. Ron Saunders and Bill Galvano, plus Sens. Durell Peaden and Ronda Storms, make $29,697.

Also, Jim Madden, special agent in charge of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center, makes $112,000; Jo Ellyn Rackleff, spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections, makes $50,217; and William Fuente, a judge in the state judicial system, receives $145,080.

Here’s the rundown on city of Tampa employees who were in the news: Fire Chief Dennis Jones receives $145,746; Fire Capt. Bill Wade, $86,736; city firefighter Eric Stokes, $45,652; Marc Hamlin, assistant police chief, $124,738; and police spokeswoman Laura McElroy, $94,016.

Also from Tampa, Mayor Pam Iorio, who shed her rain gear for the Gasparilla parade wet look, makes $149,999; city Councilwoman Mary Mulhern, $41,246; Bob McDonaugh, urban development manager, $110,115; and parks department spokeswoman Linda Carlo, $85,301.

David Steele, information technology chief for the Hillsborough school district, makes $130,933, while his boss, MaryEllen Elia, makes $257,959, and Margit Redlawsk, art teacher at Apollo Beach Elementary, receives $45,754.

Chuck Harmon, St. Petersburg police chief, makes $156,122; his assistant chief, Luke Williams, receives $126,933; and his department spokesman, Bill Proffitt, makes $83,386.

Karl Nurse, St. Petersburg city councilman, makes $41,120.

Among Hillsborough County employees in the news, Commissioners Mark Sharpe and Jim Norman get $91,844 each. Parks Director Mark Thornton makes $125,258, Real Estate Director Mike Kelly makes $147,514, and sheriff’s spokesman Larry McKinnon receives $48,048.

David Armijo, head of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, makes $174,699.

Brian Thornton, football coach at East Bay High School, made the news this weekend, too. He receives $52,552, somewhere between fellow newsmakers Russ Cozart, Brandon High football coach, at $61,594, and Dennis Kitko, Durant High football coach, at $44,321.

Stan Heath, men’s basketball coach at the University of South Florida, is paid a salary of $325,000.