The 20 highest-paid government employees in the City of Charlotte in 2024
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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios
For a transparent look at how your taxpayer dollars are spent, Axios compiled a list of the highest-paid government employees in the City of Charlotte in 2024.
Why it matters: Local government must pay leaders enough to retain talent while still being good stewards of tax dollars.
Zoom in: The Charlotte mayor's salary is $46,161. She receives $23,127 for auto, technology and other expenses.
- Council members make $38,581. Including expenses, they receive $61,232.
See the list below. We only included base salaries, not benefits or bonuses.
1. Marcus Jones, City Manager
Salary: $451,932.89 ($217.275 an hour)
Job description: The CEO, visionary and leader of the city. He is in charge of a $4.17-billion budget and oversees all the departments, including public transit and safety.
- Charlotte City Council votes on policy. The city manager carries out those decisions.
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2. Haley Gentry, Aviation Director
Salary: $305,145.23
Job description: Oversees the day-to-day operations of one of the world's busiest airports, with over 60 million anticipated passengers this year.
- The city-owned airport is undergoing a substantial modernization with multiple ongoing construction projects.
- Fun fact: Gentry started her career at the airport as an intern in the '90s.
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3. Brent Cagle, Interim CEO of CATS and Deputy City Manager
Salary: $302,874
Job description: Cagle, a deputy city manager, took on the challenge of reviving CATS in late 2022 after CEO John Lewis resigned and fractures within the agency came to light. Upon joining, Cagle said he'd discovered a "culture of silence" within CATS and delayed maintenance and inspections.
- Under Cagle's leadership, ridership is up and the service is more reliable. Missed trips are at the lowest rate in years.
- Cagle has also served as the aviation director.
4. Patrick Baker, City Attorney
Salary: $291,443.63
Job description: The resident policy and legal adviser. Baker is the man council turns to before making a dicey decision. He also provides in-house counsel to the police, airport, CATS and other departments.
- More than 40 employees, including 34 attorneys, work under Baker.
5. Tracy Dodson, Assistant City Manager and Economic Development Director
Salary: $286,440.61
Job description: Dodson is credited with "game-changing economic development wins," like Honeywell's headquarters relocation to Charlotte, as well as LendingTree, AvidXchange and Lowe's expansions here.
- She's guided council in voting for investments, such as Bank of America Stadium renovations, and executing projects in the area's economic interest, like the development of Eastland and The River District.
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6. Liz Babson, Assistant City Manager
Salary: $269,025
Job description: She touches on the crucial areas of a growing city: mobility, planning and transportation. The county and city are defining their transit vision and trying to pass an additional 1-cent transit sales tax.
- Under Babson's leadership, the city is working out the kinks in its overhauled Unified Development Ordinance.
7. Shawn Heath, Assistant City Manager
Salary: $267,700
Job description: Heath is assigned to finance and human resources. He also supervises the Housing and Neighborhood Services department.
8. Johnny Jennings, Police Chief
Salary: $266,984.85
Job description: The top law enforcement officer at CMPD. Since 1992, he's risen the ranks at the department. He was sworn in as chief in 2020 at the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement and pandemic.
9. Angela Charles, Director of Utilities
Salary: $245,896.21
Job description: Runs Charlotte Water, the municipal water and sewer services provider.
10. Jack Christine, Chief Infrastructure Officer of Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Salary: $242,141
Job description: He helps plan and build out the airport. That's a massive undertaking right now as CLT opens expanded concourses and gates, renovated checkpoints and invites new development on the surrounding land.
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11. Mike Hill, Chief Financial Officer of CLT
Salary: $233,004.68
Job description: He works with the airport's $200 million annual operating budget, plus he deals with airline rates and other finances.
12. Victoria Johnson, Chief Operations Officer at CATS
Salary: $230,753.92
Job description: Steers rail operations, paratransit, facilities management and the operations training division.
13. Ted Kaplan, Chief Business and Innovation Officer of CLT
Salary: $229,296.61
Job description: In charge of the airport's business and revenue, economic and community affairs, and innovation and experience divisions.
14. Reginald Johnson, Fire Chief
Salary: $226,531.41
Job description: Chief of a fire department with more than 1,150 employees. Charlotte Fire covers a jurisdiction of approximately 800,000 people and about 300 square miles.
- Appointed in 2018, Johnson is the department's first Black chief.
15 and 16.
Elizabeth Presutti, Chief Administrative Officer at CATS
Salary: $225,000
Job description: Within CATS, she oversees human resources, marketing, pass sales and more.
Danielle Frazier, Special Assistant for the City Manager for workforce development
Salary: $225,000
Job description: Frazier is an expert in workforce development. Until recently she was CEO of Charlotte Works.
17. Jerome Douglas Woodard, Chief Operating Officer of CLT
Salary: $224,675
Job description: Oversees airport operations, emergency management, security and the joint operations center.
18. Markell Storay, Chief Technology Officer and Innovation & Technology director
Salary: $223,387.53
Job description: His organization delivers information technology products for the city and he provides technology oversight.
19. Teresa Smith, Chief Financial Officer
Salary: $222,260.15
Job description: Leading the finance department, Smith is in charge of the city's financial accounts and processes, disbursing and receiving funds, preparing reports, investing and more.
20. Lina James, Deputy City Attorney
Salary: $221,815.93
Job description: Legal advisor to the mayor, council, managers, department directors and senior staff on issues from redistricting to code enforcement.
- She advised city leaders on how to host two national political conventions and counseled them through navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.