Are they worth it?
They may not be as well-compensated as Nicole Kidman (she earned close to $1 million for each minute of a Chanel perfume commercial) or President Bush ($400,000 a year), but these Los Angeles civic officials earn nearly as much as or more than members of Congress ($162,500) or Vice President Dick Cheney ($212,000). We compare salaries and selected perks.
--Swati Pandey
Salary: $205,661
Perk: Villaraigosa can live rent-free in the official mayoral residence, a Tudor-style mansion in Hancock Park.
Note: The mayor's salary is comparable to that of New York City's mayor, except that New York's Michael R. Bloomberg accepts only a token $1 a year. If he didn't, he'd be collecting about $195,000 annually.
Salary: $300,000
Perk: Brewer will receive a monthly housing allowance of $3,000.
Note: The highest-paid school official in New York City -- Chancellor Joel I. Klein -- earns $250,000 annually. Arne Duncan, chief executive of the Chicago Public Schools, earns $194,688.
Salary: $158,201
Perk: As a City Council member, Garcetti got to choose his ride from a fleet of city cars or opt for a $500-a-month car allowance.
Note: Members of the L.A. City Council are the highest paid in the country, and along with other elected city officials, expect a raise soon. New York City's council members make do with a base salary of $90,000.
Salary: $279,834
Perk: For his move to Los Angeles, Bratton received a one-time relocation bonus of $9,000 and six months of paid housing.
Note: Bratton was earning more than $500,000 a year as a private consultant before becoming police chief.
Salary: $298,313
Perk: The typical vacation package for general managers affords Kennard three to four weeks off a year.
Note: The airport chief is the second-highest paid head of a city department. Ron Deaton, general manager of the Department of Water and Power, earns more than $320,000.
