By Focus Staff

 

Knox Countians were asked the question, “Do you believe an appointed school superintendent in Tennessee should be paid more in salary than the duly elected Governor of Tennessee?”

The answer was a resounding “no.”

Almost 90% of Knox Countians said they do not believe a school superintendent should earn more than the governor. As of 2010, the governor’s salary was just over $170,000. Tennessee’s last two chief executives, Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam, have not accepted a salary. Knox County School Superintendent James McIntyre earns over $200,000 per year and in fact makes more in salary than Vice President Joe Biden, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts, and House Speaker John Boehner.

The results from the poll were uniform all across both the city and county. Only three districts registered in the double digits in supporting a superintendent being paid more than the governor: the Second, Fourth, and Ninth. The highest support for paying a superintendent more than the governor was in the Fourth District, which is Sequoyah Hills and parts of West Knoxville.

The least support for paying a school superintendent was in the Third District where fully 100% said they were opposed to the idea, which is a first for the Focus polls.

More women than men believed a superintendent should not earn more than the governor.

In Tennessee’s four largest urban counties, the school superintendent is paid more than the mayor and is the highest paid official in the county.

Click here to view full survey results.