{"id":378866,"date":"2026-10-21T21:12:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T21:12:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/378866\/"},"modified":"2026-10-21T21:12:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T21:12:17","slug":"what-they-make-2026-western-new-york","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/378866\/","title":{"rendered":"What They Make 2026: Western New York"},"content":{"rendered":"

Erie County deputy sheriff Simon Biegasiewicz was Western New York\u2019s highest-paid local government employee in fiscal year 2025-26, at $305,077, followed by Buffalo firefighter Daniel Bossi at $300,488, according to payroll data submitted to the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS)<\/a>. They were the only two local employees in the region paid more than $300,000.<\/p>\n

Statewide, the 179,222 employees of New York\u2019s counties, cities, towns and villages outside New York City were paid a total of $12.0 billion in fiscal year 2025-26, an average of $67,037, according to the Empire Center\u2019s annual What They Make 2026<\/a> report. Western New York\u2019s 22,397 employees averaged $61,841, third among the state\u2019s nine regions outside New York City, behind Long Island and the Mid-Hudson.<\/p>\n

From the full report<\/p>\n

What They Make 2026<\/p>\n

Pay at all 1,517 counties, cities, towns and villages outside New York City, the highest-paid employees statewide, police and correction officer pay, and more.<\/p>\n

Read the full report \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n

Local governments in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties paid a total of $1.39 billion. A total of 16.1 percent of their employees were paid $100,000 or more, compared with about one in five statewide, and 13 were paid more than Governor Hochul\u2019s $250,000 salary.<\/p>\n

Among the findings:<\/p>\n

Erie County Sheriff\u2019s Office personnel held four of the region\u2019s ten highest-paid positions. Erie County Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein was paid $258,879.
\nErie County\u2019s 5,326 employees averaged $70,591, the highest of any county in the region and ninth among the state\u2019s 57 counties outside New York City.
\nBuffalo had the highest city average in the region, $83,528 for 2,831 employees, ninth among the state\u2019s 61 cities. Its 1,389 police and fire employees averaged $111,079.
\nThe Town of Amherst had the region\u2019s largest town payroll, $56.9 million for 846 employees. Lancaster\u2019s town employees averaged $68,883, the highest of any town in the region.
\nThe Town of Orchard Park\u2019s police and fire employees averaged $145,727, the highest in the region, followed by the Village of Hamburg ($127,300), the Town of Amherst ($126,964), the Town of Hamburg ($122,530) and Cheektowaga ($115,279).
\nLocal government payrolls came to $977 per resident in Western New York, compared with $1,054 statewide. Cattaraugus County spent $1,251 per resident, counting the county and all of its cities, towns and villages, the eighth-highest of any county in the state. Salamanca\u2019s $1,199 per resident was the sixth-highest of any city.<\/p>\n

Ten Highest-Paid Local Government Employees \u2013 Western New York<\/p>\n

Name
\nEmployer
\nClassification
\nPay<\/p>\n

Biegasiewicz, Simon P
\nErie County
\nGeneral Employee
\n$305,077<\/p>\n

Bossi, Daniel J
\nCity of Buffalo
\nPolice\/Fire
\n$300,488<\/p>\n

Naegely, Aaron M
\nErie County
\nGeneral Employee
\n$282,917<\/p>\n

Pyc, Todd J
\nVillage of Depew
\nPolice\/Fire
\n$278,542<\/p>\n

Paolucci, Paul J
\nErie County
\nGeneral Employee
\n$260,814<\/p>\n

Burstein, Gale R
\nErie County
\nGeneral Employee
\n$258,879<\/p>\n

Welch, James P
\nErie County
\nGeneral Employee
\n$257,174<\/p>\n

Morganti, Mark A
\nCity of Buffalo
\nPolice\/Fire
\n$256,387<\/p>\n

Drabik, William
\nCity of Buffalo
\nPolice\/Fire
\n$255,979<\/p>\n

Connolly, Jeremy W
\nCity of Buffalo
\nPolice\/Fire
\n$253,209<\/p>\n

Deputy sheriffs and county correction officers are classified as general employees in the NYSLRS data. Three employees in the region were reported at exactly $250,000, the pension earnings limit for Tier 6 members, so their actual pay was likely higher. The amounts listed do not include fringe benefits such as health insurance and employer pension contributions.<\/p>\n

Payroll records for every Western New York county, city, town, village and special district can be searched at the Empire Center’s transparency website, SeeThroughNY.net<\/a>. The full statewide report, What They Make 2026<\/a>, includes searchable pay figures for every local government outside New York City.<\/p>\n

The Empire Center is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank based in Albany.<\/p>\n

Source for Burstein’s title: Erie County, December 22, 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n You may also like\n <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tWhat They Make 2026: North Country\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tLewis County employees held nine of the North Country’s ten highest-paid local government positions in fiscal year 2025-26, most of them physicians and medical staff, . Jeffery Hellinger, a Lewis County employee, was the highest paid, at $265,978.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tRead More<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tWhat They Make 2026: Mohawk Valley\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tEight local government employees in the Mohawk Valley had gross pensionable earnings of more than $200,000 in fiscal year 2025-26, . Four were county elected officials and three were Oneida County correction officers. The highest paid was Christina Pea\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tRead More<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tWhat They Make 2026: Southern Tier\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tMary Nobilski, a Steuben County employee, was the Southern Tier’s highest-paid local government employee in fiscal year 2025-26, at $309,582, . She was the only local employee in the region paid more than Governor Hochul’s $250,000 salary.
\nStat\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tRead More<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tWhat They Make 2026: Central New York\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tSyracuse police officers held all ten of the highest-paid local government positions in Central New York during fiscal year 2025-26, . John Tassini was the highest paid, at $282,861.
\nStatewide, the 179,222 employees of New York’s counties, citi\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tRead More<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tWhat They Make 2026: Finger Lakes\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tRochester police officers held eight of the ten highest-paid local government positions in the Finger Lakes region during fiscal year 2025-26, . Robert Hill was the region’s highest-paid employee, at $314,040.
\nStatewide, the 179,222 employees o\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tRead More<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tWhat They Make 2026: Capital Region\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tAn Albany police officer, Willie Flack, was the Capital Region’s highest-paid local government employee in fiscal year 2025-26, at $279,370, . Police officers in Albany, Schenectady and Troy and the Town of Colonie held six of the region’s ten highest-\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tRead More<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tWhat They Make 2026: Mid-Hudson\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tTown of Ramapo police officers held four of the five highest-paid local government positions in the Mid-Hudson region during fiscal year 2025-26, led by Daniel Hyman at $421,338, the second-highest local government pay in the state, .
\nStatewide\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tRead More<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tWhat They Make 2026: Long Island\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tLong Island accounted for 350 of the 400 local government employees in New York outside New York City who were paid more than $300,000 in fiscal year 2025-26, . Police officers held all ten of the region’s highest-paid positions.
\nStatewide, the\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tRead More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Erie County deputy sheriff Simon Biegasiewicz was Western New York\u2019s highest-paid local government employee in fiscal year 2025-26,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":378867,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[9,24,55,54,56,116863,116864,120521,38464],"class_list":["post-378866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york-city","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-new-york-city-headlines","tag-new-york-city-news","tag-ny","tag-ny-public-payroll-watch","tag-seethroughny","tag-taxes-and-spending","tag-transparency"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=378866"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378866\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/378867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=378866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=378866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=378866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}