This story is an installment in The Tennessean's Q&A series On the Issues, where we asked the leading gubernatorial candidates to weigh in on some of the most pressing issues Tennessee’s next governor will face.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's current salary is $239,760, the fifth highest for any governor in the country after Pennsylvania, New York, California and Massachusetts — and the highest in the nation for a Republican governor.
His predecessors, Gov. Bill Haslam and Gov. Phil Bredesen, declined to take a salary as governor.
We got responses from all four candidates polling over 1%: Republican nominee U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Democratic nominee Jerri Green, independent candidate David Hatley and independent candidate Lauren Pinkston.
Here's
what each candidate said when asked whether they'd accept a state salary.
If elected, do you plan to take a public paycheck?
BLACKBURN: Tennessee is a well-led, well-governed state, and our governor's salary is decided by the legislature.
GREEN: Yes, public service is honest work, and all public servants deserve to be paid, however, my focus is not and has never been on a paycheck. It’s about making sure everyday Tennesseans have the things they need to make an honest living and to ensure that the state is a good steward of their hard-earned tax dollars.
PINKSTON: I will accept a public paycheck just as every state employee is paid for the work they do. Serving as governor is a full-time job, and I intend to do it without outside income and without the need for favors from anyone. We have too many politicians running for public office to expand their own business interests, and that has led voters to expect executives to decline their salaries. When the job only makes sense for people who can afford to work without pay, we will have restricted the pool of candidates who are able to serve. If a teacher or farmer or small-business owner successfully campaigns for governor, there should be no expectation that they would refuse compensation after quitting their steady job to serve the public.
HATLEY: I won’t keep it. I will donate the governor’s salary. $239,000 can help a lot of other Tennessee organizations. Tennesseans shouldn’t have to pay someone to work hard for them or to be their governor. I’m funding this campaign myself, with no donors and no one to answer to but the people of Tennessee, and I’ll serve the same way.
Would you propose to reduce the governor’s compensation?
GREEN: That’s ultimately up to the legislature, but I would note that I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone ask Bill Lee that question, and I’m not sure what kind of message we send by bringing it up now that a woman will be doing the same job as a man making that much for his past two terms.
PINKSTON: There are plenty of additional state budget items that support the governor and her livelihood. I would gladly propose a reduction in the governor’s compensation while asking the state to better fund the salaries of local government employees across the state and expand benefits to state employees stripped from previous administrations.
HATLEY: I’m open to cutting politicians’ salaries, including the governor’s. The reason to run for public office should be service, not a fat paycheck.
Blackburn did not respond.
Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: On the Issues: Governor hopefuls weigh taking $239K paycheck
