Minnesota Report
Last week, we crossed paths with Former US Ambassador Samuel Kaplan, Chair of the Compensation Council and he informed us of the actions by the last meeting of the body and its decisions regarding the increase in compensation for Constitutional Officers and the Judiciary. The recommendations are 9% in the 1st year and 7.5% in the 2nd year for constitutional officers and 9% in the 1st year and 7.5% in the 2nd year for the judiciary. The 2023 Federal Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2023 is 8.7%. Since the rates are set for a two-year biennium, as far as we know, the members of the council are political appointees and not actuaries, so their recommendations in the 2nd year are a bit speculative, but this can be in 2025 because the compensation starts on July 1st of each fiscal year.
It is important to note the salary for the Constitutional Officers has not changed since 2016 and for the Judiciary since 2021.
The charge of the body is stipulated as “State law has established a Compensation Council to meet in the odd numbered years to make recommendations to the legislature regarding the salaries of judges and constitutional officers. The council also makes recommendations regarding salary ranges for heads of state and metropolitan agencies. The council must report its recommendations to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate by April 1 in each odd-numbered year.”
This means, if approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, increases are as follows:
| Percent of Increase | 2015 3% | 2016 3% | Proposed 2023 9% | Proposed 2024 7.5% | ||
| Governor | $120,303.00 | $ 123,912.00 | $ 127,629.00 | $ 139,115.61 | $ 149,549.28 | |
| Attorney General | 95% | $114,288.00 | $ 117,716.00 | $ 121,248.00 | $ 132,160.32 | $ 142,072.34 |
| Auditor | 85% | $102,257.00 | $ 105,325.00 | $ 108,485.00 | $ 118,248.65 | $ 127,117.30 |
| Sec. of State | 75% | $ 90,227.00 | $ 92,934.00 | $ 95,722.00 | $ 104,336.98 | $ 112,162.25 |
| Lt. Governor | 65% | $ 78,197.00 | $ 80,543.00 | $ 82,959.00 | $ 90,425.31 | $ 97,207.21 |
| 7/1/2021 | Proposed 9% 2024 | Proposed 6% 2024 | |
| Supreme Ct. Chief Justice | $ 210,497.00 | $229,441.73 | $246,649.86 |
| Supreme Ct. Assoc. Justice | $ 191,361.00 | $208,583.49 | $224,227.25 |
| Ct. of Appeals Chief Judge | $ 189,326.00 | $206,365.34 | $221,842.74 |
| Ct. of Appeals Judge | $ 180,312.00 | $196,540.08 | $211,280.59 |
| District Court Chief Judge | $ 177,726.00 | $193,721.34 | $208,250.44 |
| District Court Judge | $ 169,264.00 | $184,497.76 | $198,335.09 |