
How does Charlotte strike the balance between retaining talent in the government center and saving taxpayer money for residents’ greatest needs?
- That was the question Charlotte City Council members had to contemplate last November, as they were asked to approve a proposed 14% raise for the city manager. It passed 9-3. One opponent — council member LaWana Mayfield — called the move “tone deaf.”
- Charlotte city manager Marcus Jones now has an annual salary of nearly $435,000. That’s more than the president of the United States.
Meanwhile, the minimum wage for city and county employees is $20 an hour.
- The Charlotte mayor makes around $41,000 and city council members make nearly $34,000, not including expense allowances, according to a city spokesperson.
- County commissioners are paid $32,666 and the chair makes $40,835, plus allowances. Commissioner Pat Cotham — who declined an across-the-board raise increase — takes home $30,964, the county budget shows.
For a closer, transparent look at staffers’ pay, we’ve compiled a list of the highest-paid government employees for Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte.
- Of note: Some employees are serving in interim capacities (such as Brent Cagle acting as the temporary CEO of CATS).
- We only included base salaries, not benefits or bonuses.
Search the database of city employee salaries here. You can find county salaries here.
[Flashback: The 20 highest-paid people at the City of Charlotte (2015)]
1) Marcus Jones, city manager

Marcus Jones. Photo: City of Charlotte
Salary: $434,550
Job description: The CEO of the city. He is in charge of a $3.2-billion budget and oversees all the departments, including public transit and safety.
- We named him one of Charlotte’s 10 most powerful people in 2022.
2) Dena Diorio, county manager

Dena Diorio. Photo: Mecklenburg County
Salary: $379,478
Job description: The county’s top boss. Diorio supervises a budget of $2.2 billion. She also made a spot on our list of power player in 2022.
3) Thomas Owens, county chief forensic pathologist
Salary: $283,921
Job description: Directs the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office and works with pathologists and investigators on homicide cases and autopsies.
- “I’m not trying to prosecute anyone, and I’m not trying to get anyone off on charges. My job is to present the evidence as neutrally as possible,” Owens told Charlotte Magazine in 2020. “Does it fit with the multiple stories? … The body doesn’t lie. People do.”
4) Now hiring: CEO of Charlotte Area Transit System
Salary: TBD
John Lewis was the second highest-paid city employee, making $282,177.45 annually. He resigned in November as the bus system struggled. His successor will likely make a similar amount.
Job description: Head honcho of the local rail and bus systems and long-term transit plans, such as the Silver Line light rail.
5) Patrick Baker, city attorney
Salary: $281,588
Job description: The resident policy and legal adviser. Baker is the man council turns to when on the brink of a dicey decision. He also provides in-house legal counsel to the police, airport, CATS and others.
6) Tyrone Wade, county attorney
Salary: $279,004
Job description: Like Baker, Wade gives legal advice to the commissioners.
7) Brent Cagle, assistant city manager
Salary: $277,463
Job description: The city has a few assistant managers. Cagle is the one in charge of aviation, finance, general services, human resources, and strategy and budget departments. He previously served as the city’s aviation director and is serving as the interim CEO of CATS since Lewis left in the fall.
8) Leslie Johnson, deputy county manager
Salary: $276,247
Job description: Like the city, the county has a few assistants to the manager. Johnson responsibilities include environmental leadership, enhancing parks and recreation, and small business relief grants.
9) Haley Gentry, Charlotte Douglas International Airport CEO
Salary: $274,312
Job description: Gentry worked her way up as an intern in the ’90s to the CEO of the airport in 2021. She guides a 700-plus member staff, $187-million budget, a 1.8 million-square-foot terminal and more than 100,000 daily passengers.
10) Tracy Dodson, assistant city manager and economic development director

Tracy Dodson. Photo: City of Charlotte
Salary: $274,105
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 was also an Axios Local power player in 2022.
[Go deeper: 10 of Charlotte’s most powerful people in 2022]
11 & 12)
Derrick Ramos, deputy county manager and chief of staff
Salary: $266,700
Job description: Works with the commissioners and three county departments: Asset and Facility Management, Criminal Justice Services, and the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Anthony Trotman, deputy county manager
Salary: $266,700
Job description: Oversees the health and human services agency.
13) Bonnie Coyle, county medical director
Salary: $260,194
Job description: The county’s leading medical professional.
14) Jonathan Privette, county forensic pathologist
Salary: $255,667
Job description: Works on cases in the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office.
15 & 16)
Reenie Askew, assistant city manager and chief information officer
Salary: $255,000
Job description: Helps shape the city’s technology vision, which includes bridging the digital divide.
Liz Babson, assistant city manager
Salary: $255,000
Job description: Works on Vision Zero, the Strategic Mobility Plan and other transit plans.
17) Michael Bryant, deputy county manager
Salary: $250,200
Job description: Supervises the Financial Services Department, the Office of the Tax Collector, the County Assessor’s Office, Information Technology and Human Resources.
18) Shawn Heath, city Housing and Neighborhood Services Department director
Salary: $250,000
Job description: Runs a department focused on community engagement, enforcing code ordinances and the CharMeck 311 customer contact center.
19) Johnny Jennings, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department chief

Johnny Jennings. Photo: City of Charlotte
Salary: $248,358
Job description: The top law enforcement officer at CMPD. He rose the ranks throughout his 30-plus years at the department.
20) Marcellus Turner, CEO of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

Marcellus “MT” Turner. Photo: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Salary: $237,930
Job description: Leads the library branches. He was named one of Charlotte Magazine’s 2022 Charlotteans of the Year for what he’s accomplished at the library, from launching a mobile unit to eliminating overdue book fines.
21) James Lozano, county forensic pathologist
Salary: $235,571
Job description: Another pathologist in the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office.
22) Jack Christine, airport chief infrastructure and development officer
Salary: $232,827
Job description: Responsible for airport operations, facility maintenance, and planning and development, including multi-billion capital investments under Destination CLT.
23) Angela Charles, Charlotte Water director
Salary: $231,977
Job description: Directs the public water and wastewater utilities.
24) David Boyd, county chief financial officer
Salary: $228,228
Job description: Leads the county’s finance team.
25) Ebenezer Gujjarlapudi, county Land Use & Environmental Services Agency director
Salary: $227,232
Job description: Accountable for air quality, code enforcement, solid waste, storm water services and other areas.
26) Garry McFadden, sheriff

Garry McFadden. Photo: Axios archives
Salary: $225,202
Job description: Elected to run the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.
- Fun fact: He’s the star of a crime TV series, “I Am Homicide.”
27) Keith Gregg, county chief information officer of the Information Technology Department
Salary: $222,860
Job description: Protects and secures county technology, among other goals.
28) Mike Hill, airport chief financial officer
Salary: $221,909
Job description: Manages financial, administration and information technology activities.
29) Ken Joyner, county assessor
Salary: $221,319
Job description: Lists, appraises and assesses properties in Mecklenburg County.
- Joyner’s been particularly busy over the last several months as his office completes the momentous task of revaluing every parcel in the county.
30) John Eller, county Department of Social Services director
Salary: $220,500
Job description: Leads social services employees as they ensure federally and state mandated services, such as child and adult welfare and Medicaid, are offered in Mecklenburg County.
31) Ted Kaplan, airport chief business and innovation officer
Salary: $218,377
32) Reginald Johnson, Charlotte Fire Department chief
Salary: $217,818
33) Victoria Johnson, special assistant to the city manager
Salary: $216,398
34) Jerome Woodard, airport chief operating officer
Salary: $215,000
35) Teresa Smith, city chief financial officer
Salary: $213,711
36) Phil Reiger, city general services director
Salary: $213,066
37) Mark Hahn, county director of asset and facility management
Salary: $211,985
38) Raynard Washington, county public health director
Salary: $210,000
39) W. Lee Jones, director of county Park and Recreation
Salary: $209,128
40) Willie Ratchford, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations executive director
Salary: $208,424
41) Allen Smith, CATS chief operating officer
Salary: $206,813.7
42) James Yeager Sr., deputy county attorney
Salary: $201,598.77
43) Ryan Bergman, city strategy and budget director
Salary: $198,896
44) Hani Aboufoul, county dentist
Salary: $198,750
45) Sheila Simpson, city human resources director
Salary: $197,589
46) Michael Davis, head of Stormwater Services with the city
Salary: $197,540
47) Crystal Combs, technology services officer with the city
Salary: $196,690
48) LaShaun Carter, county Equity and Inclusion Director
Salary: $195,300
49) Debbie Smith, Charlotte Department of Transportation director
Salary: $194,500
50) Alyson Craig, city deputy planning director
Salary: $194,480
- She is currently serving as the city’s interim planning director.