Editorial: Some state salaries need legislative intervention

The fact that Alabama has the nation’s second-highest paid attorney general is somewhere between hideous and insane.
Nothing against current Alabama attorney General Troy King – the salary is for the position, not the person who holds it.

The salary, $163,744 annually, is tied into those of state Supreme Court justices, per legislation passed in 1969.

“I would have been 1 year old,” said King, who was appointed into the position by Gov. Bob Riley in 2004. “Nobody can say I had anything to do with it … I never gave it (salary) much thought … When I was appointed, I focused on coming in and doing my job.”

But King isn’t the highest-paid attorney on state payroll. That honor goes to Ralph H. Smith, general counsel for the University of Alabama System, who makes $368,963 each year. Lee Armstrong, who holds the same position at Auburn University, makes $205,300.

King’s right. He doesn’t warrant finger-pointing in this regard. He could very well make a far greater salary as a general counsel at a large corporation rather than serving the state, unless he’s got his sights set on something greater politically in the future.

We live in an era of troubled economic times, wasteful spending and desperately seeking means to fund our schools. It’s about time the State Legislature reviewed its policies for pay scales with regard to the positions tied to them.

Maybe if King one day wins the governorship, he can introduce such legislation.

Alabama Supreme Court justices make the seventh-most nationally. Compare that to our woeful unemployment, graduation and household income level rankings across the nation and the numbers raise red flags.

One associate justice makes $155,946 annually. Another brings in $194,932. No wonder these folks are serious about re-election. Maybe interpreting the law of our state’s antiquated constitution is so difficult, it warrants high pay.

Sure, we strongly value justice and fighting crime in this state, but these salaries appear to be over the top.

It’s time those in power do what’s best for their constituents and the state in the future and investigate whether some state salaries deserve so many digits.