Former Sheriff Tom Cavallero’s pension tops $180,000

Former Merced County Sheriff Tom Cavallero is collecting a bigger paycheck in retirement than while employed full time, just like his predecessor Mark Pazin.

Cavallero’s annual pension is $183,211.20, according to information obtained through a public records request. He will receive $15,267.60 a month, the Merced County retirement office confirmed. Cavallero worked more than 31 years in the department.

The 50-year-old served as sheriff for one year after Pazin resigned to accept a job in Sacramento with the governor’s office. Both men earned the same salary, $163,092.80 a year, but Pazin’s retirement package topped Cavallero’s at nearly $200,000 annually.

After Cavallero retired on Dec. 27, he remained employed at the Sheriff’s Department as an “extra help” undersheriff, earning $50.91 an hour. The position allows no more than 960 hours a year, said county spokesman Mike North. Cavallero told the Merced Sun-Star he’s been averaging 30 hours a week.

While some might be startled at the large retirement packages of elected officials – which typically exceed those of the private sector – Cavallero stressed that public employees also pay into their retirements.

“I would remind people that in this county the employees do contribute significantly to their retirement,” Cavallero said. “What I’m getting is the same as other people in this position would get. It wasn’t crafted to benefit Tom Cavallero.”

After more than 30 years at the Sheriff’s Department, Cavallero said he believes he’s served his community well. “I’d like to think I’ve earned my retirement,” the former sheriff said. “I’ve spent my whole career here and (I’ve) literally grown up here. I’ve raised my family here and my wife works here.”

Cavallero did pad his pension by $8,400 for the year by being given a choice between driving a county vehicle or receiving a $700 car allowance each month. He picked the latter, which boosted his total pension checks by nearly $1,000 a month.

Neither Pazin nor current Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke chose that option.

Warnke said he declined the car allowance because he still goes on patrols and responds to calls. “I’m not an in-the-office kind of sheriff,” Warnke said. “I have no intention of taking the cash option because I’m using the car and I’m still a cop. I still go out and patrol and handle calls with the guys.”

Cavallero said picking the cash option instead of a county vehicle was a “personal” choice. He said it has nothing to do with increasing his pension.

“I would have taken advantage of that whether it was calculated into my pension or not because it worked better for me and my family,” Cavallero said. “Yes, it’s calculated into the retirement figure, but I chose to take the car allowance because it worked out for me in a variety of ways.”

About 22 “A-level” managers in Merced County get the $700 car allowance, county records show. Cavallero and other managers also receive a $150 communication allowance for cellphones. Both the car and cellphone allowances are counted toward employee pensions, retirement officials confirmed.

Merced County employees are also permitted to “sell back” unused vacation and sick hours. This option added $800 to Cavallero’s monthly retirement.

This story was originally published January 30, 2015 at 7:05 PM with the headline "Former Sheriff Tom Cavallero’s pension tops $180,000."