Rutherford County, Tenn. – This past week, Rutherford County Commissioners reviewed the proposed 2025–2026 fiscal budget…
That was Commissioner Robert Peay, and despite urgent appeals from public safety departments, commissioners decided not to include pay raises for first responders in the county’s budget.
Currently, deputies with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office earn $56,049 annually—roughly $8,500 less than their counterparts in Murfreesboro and Smyrna. The disparity places the Sheriff’s Office behind not only local municipal departments but also agencies in Lebanon, Franklin, Brentwood, Nashville, Hendersonville, Gallatin, and Knoxville. According to a department focused county study, promotion-related raises are also notably slower and less competitive than in surrounding jurisdictions…