Report details high pay at ECMC

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The Erie County Comptroller's office is now documenting the salaries of the county's highest paid employees.

In a new report, the Empire Center for New York State Policy shows that ECMC has 17 of the 150 most highly paid public authority employees.

Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw said, “We need to take a hard look at salaries and see whether there needs to be any type of salary freeze, how much people are making, how much raises were given out to employees, money's tight.”

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On its SeeThroughNY website, the center that watches publicly-funded institutions has CEO Jody Lomeo topping the ECMC list at more than $704,000. Other top ranking officers aren't far behind.

Tim Hoefer of Empire Center for New York State Policy said, “I see a number like $704,000 and, I don't care who you are, that's a shocking number, so at the very least, I want them to justify that to me if I'm a taxpayer.”

But ECMC is actually on the low end of the totem poll when it comes to health care executives.

Business First reported Kaleida's CEO James Kaskie earning $2.3 million in 2010, including a deferred retirement plan payout. Roswell Park's CEO Donald Trump earning $1.2 million, while Catholic Health CEO Joseph McDonald made nearly $1.1 million.

Comptroller Mychijlaw says he will conduct his analysis of Erie County big wage earners.

“We are going to try and take a look, and compare and contrast Erie County with other counties, to see if those salaries are comparable.”