Tennessee AG would set own salary under bill

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti would be able to set his own salary, no longer tying it to state statute, under a Housepassed measure.

The move comes after Skrmetti failed to receive an increase of $2.8 million from the governor to hire 15 more positions in fiscal 2024-25, documents show.

The chamber approved House Bill 2000 on a 73-21 vote Monday night, giving the attorney general authority to determine his salary and those of staff as part of an effort to make the office more competitive with the private market. The legislature approved $5.1 million last year for salary market adjustments and other expenses.

Sponsor state Rep. Andrew Farmer, R-Sevierville, argued the attorney general’s office needs to boost pay because of high turnover.

“Hopefully, they’ll make a career out of working for our attorney general’s office,” Farmer said during debate.

Skrmetti makes $219,144 annually as part of a $69.7 million budget, $11,300 more than the previous year, according to the state’s salary website. His salary is slightly less than Gov. Bill Lee’s, which is also based on state law along with pay for Tennessee Supreme Court justices, who appoint the attorney general.

Rep. John Ray Clemmons argued against the change Monday, saying he’s heard no complaints from attorney general staffers about salaries. The Nashville Democrat called allowing the attorney general to set the salaries for himself and staff dangerous, especially for an appointee who has little accountability.

Farmer responded that supporters of the bill “want to set the precedent. We want to set the bar high.”

Clemmons said, however, that setting precedent in this case may not be a good thing.

“Setting precedent is one thing,” he said. “Setting bad precedent is another.”

The Senate version of the bill sponsored by Sen. Paul Rose, R-Covington, hasn’t started moving in committees. Finance committee Chair Bo Watson, R-Hixson, declined to comment Tuesday because he hadn’t seen the bill.

Democratic Sen. Jeff Yarbro, of Nashville, noted multiple state salaries are established by statute.

“I don’t know why we would provide just one official the right to set his own salary,” he said.

A spokesman for the attorney general’s office declined to answer several questions Tuesday, such as how many staff members have left the office since Skrmetti took over a year and half ago for Herbert Slatery. Yarbro, though, said he doesn’t understand what the attorney general’s salary has to do with those of staff and market competition.

“There are numerous state employees who make more than the governor makes. The attorney general can devise a methodology to pay his attorneys more than he makes, if that’s what is required,” Yarbro said.

The attorney general’s office budget, with 363 positions, hasn’t stood still, jumping $20.6 million since fiscal 2020-21 when it had 348 on staff.

The governor is recommending a $69.6 million spending plan for fiscal 2024-25, turning down a request by Skrmetti for 15 more jobs. Officially, the office had 57 vacant posts at the end of 2023.

The legislature hasn’t shied away from giving Skrmetti more staff and pay, approving $2.3 million last year for Skrmetti to create a 10-person strategic litigation unit, much of which involves filing lawsuits against President Joe Biden’s administration. Another $5.1 million was provided for salary market adjustments, including $922,000 for other types of funding.