In fiscal year 2006, the Baltimore City State?s Attorney?s Office spent $22.7 million on salaries ? but only a tiny $34,000 came from overtime pay, according to an analysis of city finance department records by The Examiner. The review of salaries is part of an ongoing series of stories The Examiner is writing that looks at all state, county and city salaries and overtime.
Baltimore City State?s Attorney Patricia Jessamy is well aware of how her agency spends funds, her spokeswoman Margaret Burns said.
“She?s very cognizant that this is not her money,” Burns said. “This is the citizens? money, and she knows how it is spent.”
Only 36 of 420 employees of the State?s Attorney?s Office earned any overtime at all, and only five employees made more than $1,000 in overtime.
After Jessamy ? whose salary recently increased from $142,000 to $225,000 ? four high-ranking employees in the office make more than $100,000. In comparison, with overtime pay factored in, 121 police officers earned more than $100,000 in 2006.
Deputy State?s Attorney Haven Kodeck earns $122,0000; Deputy State?s Attorney Kimberly Morton makes $107,200; Homicide Division Chief prosecutor Mark Cohen earns $106,900; and Deputy State?s Attorney Cynthia Jones makes $100,600.
Prosecutors are not eligible for overtime pay, but paralegals, law clerks, policy analysts, secretaries and assistants are, Burns said.
“Mrs. Jessamy has years of commonsense budgeting,” Burns said. “She is a person who lives within her means. She will rebuke someone if we waste paper for handouts.”
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon has asked the police department to curb its use of overtime spending. Last fiscal year, the department spent $37 million in overtime pay, according to city?s finance department.
“The mayor is very conscious that these dollars have to be used efficiently,” Dixon spokesman Anthony McCarthy said. “There are some realities, of course. If we have a huge water main break, we?ve got to call in people to fix these problems ? and that often means overtime spending. We know there has been a culture in government for a long time that has allowed overtime to go unchecked. We don?t have that luxury.”
McCarthy said the mayor has “a lot of respect for Patricia Jessamy and how she runs her operation.”
“It is not a surprise that she has a tight handle on the spending in her agency,” he said.
Click here to download the complete salary and overtime file.
