BOSTON -- Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office has launched a review of executive compensation at Massachusetts nonprofits to determine if changes are needed to keep pay scale in line with the nonprofits’ mission.

“I will acknowledge they have a great deal of discretion on compensation. Having said that, it’s a good time to look at all these issues,” said Coakley.

Team 5 Investigates scoured thick financial documents filed by some of the city’s largest nonprofits and found that while the mission of the organizations was not to make a profit, many executives are pocketing large salaries along with, in many cases, bonuses and perks such as cell phone, fitness, medical and parking reimbursements.

The standouts?

At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, dozens of senior executives and department heads are paid five- and-six-figure bonuses, as well as parking and cell phone stipends on top of six-figure salaries.

“Wow, that’s ridiculous,” said a passerby to whom we showed the documents. “No excuse. It's nonprofit, you shouldn't be making that much money, especially with the health care problems right now.”

BIDMC CEO Paul Levy was paid $1,007,841, according to the medical center’s 2008 filing.

That includes a $231,000 bonus for “meeting annual individual and collective goals around priority issues such as safety, service and quality,” according to a statement given to Team 5 Investigates by senior vice president of human resources Lisa Zankman.

Levy was also paid nearly $79,000 in benefits, $618 for his cell phone and $1,414 for parking.

Last spring the hospital laid off 70 employees, according to a spokesperson. In April senior managers forfeited a percentage of their salary and incentives, and cell phone stipends were taken away from all employees except those “whose work required them to be in constant contact.”

Outgoing Boston Medical Center CEO Elaine Ullian is pocketing a nearly $3.5 million one-time bonus as she retires, at the same time the hospital she has run for 15 years is embroiled in a bitter lawsuit with the state as BMC fights for higher reimbursement rates.

“I believe in making money. I like it too, like anyone else, but in proportion, and it's gotten out of proportion,” said Allan Cohen, a professor of management and entrepreneurship at Babson College who also serves on two nonprofit boards of directors.

At Children’s Hospital, CEO Dr. James Mandell’s salary tops $1.6 million, which is slightly higher than most, but comparable to his peers who run large complex hospitals in Massachusetts. However, last year Mandell alone received a $443,000 bonus.

Also at Children’s Hospital, according to its financial filing, a long list of employees were given what’s listed as expense accounts ranging from several thousand dollars to as much as $38,000.

A hospital spokeswoman said “Children’s executives do not have expense accounts. Included in this category…are reimbursements such as medical, fitness and relocation costs similar to other institutions.”

“Why would you be in a nonprofit if you are looking for money,” said Cohen. "I think that people in nonprofits ought to accept that they're not going to get the same kind of income.”

Children’s Hospital told Team 5 Investigates senior managers will not get raises in fiscal year 2010 and that, “The Board determines compensation based on the job’s responsibilities and complexity, the marketplace for similar positions, as well as an assessment of the employee’s skills, experience and performance.”

It went on to say that “total compensation is in the range of other executives in large, academic non-profit medical centers.”

“I've heard people in nonprofits argue that, ‘Well, that person could go work for a private company,’” said Cohen. “My answer is, ‘So go work for a private company if money is your first consideration.'”