Comparing salaries

Mike Lee’s ‘Watchdog report’ (San Diego Union-Tribune, 3/2/06) “Weaning water officials from the trough” states, “Take the case of Keith Lewinger, who makes a salary of more than $150,000 a year as general manager of the Fallbrook Public Utility District. He doubles as this agency’s representative to the county water authority, where he sits on the board. Lewinger routinely bills the county more than $1,000 a month to attend water functions. Lewinger was also billing that agency for mileage even though he’s provided a car allowance of more than $8,000 a year by Fallbrook.”

Water authority lawyers stopped it; Lewinger wrote the water authority a check for $3,368 to repay what he said were his prior mileage reimbursements. In 2006, Lewinger’s salary was more than: $150,000/year plus $8,000/year car allowance plus more than $1,000/month from the SDCWA with no retirement co-pay (free retirement).

The Mayor of San Diego (Union-Tribune, 4/14/08) earns $100,464/year plus $9,600/year auto allowance less thousands/year retirement co-pay. Lewinger, the manager of a tiny water district, makes more money than the Mayor of San Diego.

Mark Watton, Lewinger’s counterpart at Otay’s Water District, also sits on the county water board. He does not bill the county for his attendance at meetings. He stated, “As a general manager my peers and I make a nice salary. Some of those hours may be at the county authority and I feel I am compensated for that.” More examples of FPUD’s Board of Directors waste of ratepayers’ money.

Archie McPhee