San Diego’s top ten paid city employees earned over $375K each in 2024

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(The Center Square) - More than 200 employees of the City of San Diego made in excess of $250,000 per year in taxable income in 2024, and Mayor Todd Gloria wasn’t one of them, city records show.

In fact, the mayor was the city’s 242nd highest-paid employee, pulling in a reported $244,147 in total taxable compensation in 2024, The Center Square's review of city pay data shows. 

Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego, who served on San Diego City Council with Gloria, said taxpayers shouldn't feel too bad for the mayor.

"His retirement age is set to zero, so as soon as he walks out the door he’ll start drawing a pension," said DeMaio in an interview with The Center Square. "He’ll be having 16 years of creditable service, times his last highest salary which will be in the 200 plus range, times a multiplier of 3.5, which is the most generous multiplier of any city employee, so don’t cry for good old Todd Gloria, — he’s going to have his golden parachute."

The median City of San Diego employee made a total of $88,928 in taxable compensation in 2024, not including often-costly retirement benefits.

Total compensation for these 208 highly paid employees was $59,460,566, of which $32,549,288, or a little more than half, was from regular pay. 

$18,298,612, or about a third, was from overtime, while $2,552,534 came from lump sum pay, which generally includes cashing-out of accrued leave upon retirement.

Yet another $6,060,132 came from “other” taxable pay that includes things like longevity bonuses (extra pay based on years of service), hazard pay, and other incentives. 

Of the city’s top ten most highly compensated employees, seven were first responders, who all made more from overtime than from regular pay. These first responders also pulled in one-time lump sum pay ranging from $7,775 to $41,524. 

Studies show that excessive overtime leads to fatigue in first responders, which negatively impacts public safety and can result in higher liability payouts due to errors made in a state of exhaustion. 

"It’s legalized grifting by government employees," said DeMaio. "I don’t blame the employees, I blame the politicians for basically bending before the labor union bosses and sticking taxpayers not only with the financial costs, but less public safety as a result."

Here are highest paid city employees:

1:  Police Sgt. Gary Mondesir, $451,065

Mondesir’s compensation included $136,783 in regular pay, $252,342 in overtime, or nearly double his regular pay, and $41,524 in lump sum pay. Mondesir also earned $20,417 in “other” pay. A Facebook post by the San Diego Police Department from September 17, 2024 shows Mondesir was assigned to patrol Petco Park, the home stadium of the San Diego Padres major league baseball team. 

2. Retirement Administrator Gregg Rademacher,  $425,448

Rademacher’s compensation almost entirely came from his regular pay of $412,904 in his role as Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego City Employees’ Retirement System, which manages $12.3 billion in assets and generated a return of 9.4% in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Rademacher earned another $12,545 in "other" pay in 2024.

According to its most recent financial report, the retirement system is 74% funded, which means the system is well short of being able to cover its obligations.

3. Fire Engineer Eric Dunnick, $418,431

Dunnick’s regular pay of $45,158 was dwarfed by his overtime pay of $260,139. Dunnick earned another $23,824 in lump sum pay and $89,311 in “other” pay. 

The Center Square’s report on San Diego’s 2021 city employee compensation found Dunnick earned $204,462 in overtime that year. The report also noted Dunnick had won a lawsuit with other firefighters alleging the city was shortchanging firefighters on overtime. Dunnick has continued to work after the city settled the lawsuit with him and the other firefighters, paying damages, attorney fees and due overtime. 

4. Police Officer Jason Costanza, $409,660

Costanza’s regular pay of $112,615 was supplemented by $251,665 in overtime, $20,411 in lump sum pay, and $24,969 in “other” pay. 

5. Retirement Chief Investment Officer Carina Coleman, $395,859

Coleman’s regular pay was $402,834 against which a $6,975 charge was debited in the “other pay” category. Coleman oversees investments for the San Diego City Employees’ Retirement System.

6. Police Sgt. Esmerelda Tagaban, $393,508

Tagaban’s regular pay of $136,783 was well exceeded by her $192,287 in overtime pay. Tagaban also earned $30,108 in lump sum pay, and $34,330 in “other pay.” 

A 2020 social media post from the San Diego Police Foundation says Tagaban is assigned to the SDPD’s Narcotics Street Team, Gang Suppression Team, VICE Unit, Sex Crime and Emergency Negotiations Team, all while serving as an Academy Coordinator to the Regional Public Safety Training Institute. 

7. Chief Operating Officer Eric Dargan, $393,447

Dargan earned $400,708 in regular pay in 2024, with a negative debit of $7,261 in the “other pay” category reducing his total pay. 

Gloria appointed Dargan in 2022 “following a national search that fielded nearly 200 candidates.” 

NBC San Diego reported Dargan received a $146,000 discrimination payout in June 2025 after being let go a few months prior, amid rumors that he “would fall asleep at meetings.” 

8.  Police Sgt. Michael Wallace, $388,468

Wallace earned $136,783 in regular pay, $215,647 in overtime pay, $19,153 in lump sum pay, and $16,884 in “other” pay. 

Times of San Diego reported in August 2025 that Wallace is assigned to SDPD’s Neighborhood Policing Division, which is focused on responding to responding to quality of life issues that are often associated with homelessness.

9. Fire Battalion Chief Ty Shimoguchi, $376,137

Shimoguchi earned regular pay of $87,821, in addition to $205,073 in overtime pay, $7,775 in lump sum pay, and $75,469 in “other” pay. Shimoguchi is also listed in the state’s fire instructor database as a registered trainer and evaluator. 

10. Fire Battalion Chief  Daniel Froelich, $375,650

Froelich made $120,670 in regular pay, and an additional $168,427 in overtime, $13,558 in lump sum pay, and $72,996 in “other” pay. A 2023 social media post from the San Diego Fire Department says Froelich is a commander at the fire department’s dispatch center, while county records from 2023 show Froelich serving as vice chair of the county’s emergency medical care committee. 

Honorable Mention:  Fire Captain Jason Hewitt, $365,282

Hewitt made $53,131 in regular pay, but made $274,721 in overtime — that’s the most overtime paid to any San Diego city employee in 2024. Hewitt also earned $7,430 in lump sum pay and $30,000 in “other” pay. 

The the top paid staff and their respective media contacts at the City of San Diego did not respond to inquiries from The Center Square by the time of publication.