Being a public servant isn't a lucrative job. The main goal is to serve the people and to maintain the efficient management of the city or county in which they are elected. So it isn't surprising that mayors don't earn big salaries and that other government employees earn more than they do.
For example, in some cities of Indiana, though mayors and other public servants are well-compensated, only some mayors are given a salary that go over $100,000 a year despite seeing an economic boom in recent years.
Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard, who is running for a seventh term, is the 13th highest paid, behind the chief of police, the fire chief and his own communications director, among others.
Brainard made $139,053 in 2018, while Police Chief James Barlow made $156,518, Fire Chief David Harboush earned $144,999 and director of community relations and economic development Nancy Heck was paid $148,283.
The highest paid city employee is Douglas Haney, the city attorney, who makes $171,833.
To see how much other city employees are paid in Hamilton County, Indiana, check out the article on the Indy Star.
(Image credit: Derek Jensen/Wikimedia Commons)
On a larger scale, some government employees are paid according to how much money they bring in, which is why the highest-paid government employee in most states is an athletic coach at the most prominent university.