HIGHEST 10 MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE PENSIONS FOR HARTFORD, NEW HAVEN, AND BRIDGEPORT

OLR Research Report


December 3, 2004		2004-R-0859
HIGHEST 10 MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE PENSIONS FOR HARTFORD, NEW HAVEN, AND BRIDGEPORT

By: John Moran, Associate Analyst

You asked for the highest 10 municipal employee pensions paid by Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport.

The following tables display the highest 10 pensions for each city from city-managed pension funds. Bridgeport and Hartford have some pensions through the state-managed Municipal Employees Retirement Fund (MERF), figures for which were not available when this report was drafted.

All three cities report that pensions are calculated on the employee’s years of service and salary level. Generally, the more years of service an employee has, the larger percentage of salary he receives.

Table 1. Bridgeport’s Highest Municipal Pensions

*Job Description or Title*	*Years of* *Service*	*Annual* *Benefit*
Police Chief*	47	$ 79,415
Fire Chief	35	76,700
Fire Chief	47	76,700
Police Chief	32	72,334
Custodial Supervisor	35	66,709
Deputy Police Chief	30	65,444
Deputy Police Chief	36	65,443
Deputy Police Chief	32	65,443

-Continued-

Job Description or Title

Years of

Service

Annual

Benefit

Deputy Police Chief

65,443

Deputy Police Chief*

65,443

*Pensions are paid out to the respective widows

Source: Bridgeport City Treasurer’s Office

Table 2. Hartford’s Highest Municipal Pensions

*Job Description or Title*	*Years of* *Service*	*Annual* *Benefit*
Corporation Counsel	34	$ 108,287
Corporation Counsel	35	104,650
Firefighter	41	94,631
Firefighter	42	94,505
Firefighter	42	94,480
Firefighter	37	93,648
Firefighter	47	93,454
Fire Chief	40	88,678
Police	34	87,209
Department Head	31	85,230

Note: Unless otherwise noted, police and fire positions are for rank-and-file officers.

Source: Hartford City Treasurer’s Office

Table 3. New Haven’s Highest Municipal Pensions


*Job Description or Title*	*Years of* *Service*		*Annual* *Benefit*
Fire		30	$ 82,763
Fire		30	81,489
Chief Administrative Officer		29	79,058
Police		30	78,302
Police		34	76,320
Police		30	73,809
Police		32	73,280
Police		31	72,160
Fire		30	69,182
Fire		31	68,107

Source: New Haven Payroll and Pension Division

JM: ts