City Councilor. Salary: $30,000 or less

It's an hour and a half into the council meeting and you've almost fallen asleep twice. You blame your husband for keeping you up late watching all of those riveting documentaries on wolves.

Director of Parks and Recreation. Salary: $40,000 

You're excited that you can start making positive changes in the community. Your weekly focus group meetings, featuring your kids and their friends, leave you with all sorts of ideas about the best places to add new slides and swings.

First Term Mayor. Salary: $50,000

By golly, you've spoken and the people have listened. Your team celebrates a rousing success on election night, and you immediately set into motion the first act of your term as mayor: changing the drapes.

Re-elected. Salary: $50,000

You've staved off a spirited mayoral bid from Bob Leigh, owner of the city car dealership and locally renowned loud mouth. A close call, but back to that agenda—there are business developments to consider and city greenery projects to oversee.

Local Legend. Salary: $60,000

Now into your fourth term, there are statues of you being built, the junior high school is set to be renamed after you, and the local citizens have never been happier (according to the polls you still routinely commission). Is that the governor's mansion beckoning in the distance?