That's interesting. Things are evidently different in New Jersey, but in Britain, percussionists are most definitely not at the bottom of the totem pole. In most orchestras there are three broad groups: section principals, assistant principals and tutti (rank and file).

Because there are very few percussionists in an orchestra (and hence they have rather exposed parts to play), they fall into one of the first two groups. The orchestra leader will be paid a large amount, for reasons expressed elsewhere, but many of the first violinists will probably earn less than the principal timpanist.