4 Taunton employees earned more than $300,000. Here are the top 10 highest paid in 2023
TAUNTON — Which municipal employees made the most in Taunton in 2023? The Gazette analyzed salary data to find out.
As in previous years the Gazette crunched the numbers, the list of top paid city employees is dominated by members of the police and fire departments.
A total of 2,544 people were employed by the city in 2023 — including full-time, part-time and temporary staff, like substitute teachers and election workers.
The analysis doesn't include employees from the Taunton Municipal Light Plant. That will be a separate list.
Of the top 100 highest paid on the list, 85 came from police and fire.
And the top 30 positions all made over $200,000 last year.
Overtime pay and paid details — public safety and security assignments for public events and worksites, such as roadways — were big factors in the totals for the highest paid. Retirees on the list also get big payouts from unused vacation and sick time.
In 2022, four Taunton workers topped $300,000. In 2023, five of them did.
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Top 10 highest paid Taunton employees
Tim Bradshaw — Retired as fire chief in August 2023; earned $419,122 total, including $237,035 in unused sick time, $28,272 in unused vacation time and $14,136 in unused personal time
Joseph D. Ryan — Police officer; earned $394,871 total, including $181,402 in overtime and $74,152 in details
Paul H. Taber — Police lieutenant; earned $359,190 total, including $137,938 in overtime and $52,450 in details
Honorato M. Santos — Police captain; earned $307,570 total, including $12,925 in overtime and $101,266 in details
Steven L. Turner — Police officer; earned $300,766 total, including $5,121 in overtime, $113,032 in details and $46,444 in court appearance overtime
Eric P. Nichols — Police captain; earned $276,634 total, including $107,165 in overtime
Daniel J. McCarthy — Police captain; earned $276,582 total, including $19,793 in overtime and $64,313 in details
John P. Joyce — Police lieutenant; earned $274,769 total, including $33,627 in overtime and $71,152 in details
Jeffrey D. Martin — Police sergeant; earned $267,635 total, including $86,136 in overtime and $20,564 in details
Daniel P. McCabe — Retired as a police captain in 2023; earned $263,107 total, including $49,826 in overtime and $2,797 in details
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Other notable entries
Police Chief Edward Walsh, coming in as the 13th highest paid, earned a total of $241,264 in 2023.
Fire Lt. Gregory Galligan, who retired in December 2023, came in as the 14th highest paid, earning $236,990 total, including $37,023 in overtime, $69,299 in unused sick time and $23,749 in unused vacation time.
Superintendent of Schools John Cabral was number 20 on the list at $216,967
Fire Chief Steven Lavigne, who was promoted from captain in August 2023, was number 28 on the list, earning a total of $201,339, including $32,226 in overtime.
Deputy Fire Chief Eric Dumont came in just behind Lavigne, at number 29 on the list, earning a total of $200,339, including $42,492 in overtime — making him the highest paid deputy fire chief in Taunton.
No. 37 – Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction for Taunton Public Schools Christopher Baratta came in number 37, earning $194,042.
Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations for Taunton Public Schools Brenda Moynihan came in just behind Baratta, at number 38 on the list, earning $185,187.
Number 56 on the list is Taunton's Chief Financial Officer Patrick Dello Russo at $176,538.
Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell came in at number 193, earning $125,500.
The City Council, at the end of 2022, approved a 6% salary increase for the mayor's position, raising it to $133,048, but that won’t take effect until 2024.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton salaries 2023: Highest paid workers include police, fire
