LePage Wants To More Than Double Governor’s Salary

Paul Lepage wants to raise the salary for the Governor's position, more than doubling what he's been making during his term.

Now is the perfect time to address the salary, according to Governor LePage, as a new candidate is about to elected into office. According to Business Insider, the position currently earns a salary of $70,000 a year. Comparatively, Massachusetts pays its governor $151,800 a year, New Hampshire's governor earns $121,896, and Vermont's top office pays $145,538 per year.

So Governor LePage has once again submitted a bill, LD 1878, to the legislature asking to raise the salary for future governors to $150,000 annually, a move that would put Maine's pay in the 'middle of the pack,' nationally. It would place the state just below the New England average for 2019 and slightly above the national average, according to LePage. He wouldn't benefit from the change since he can't run for re-election, due to term limits.

"The Governor of the State of Maine is the Chief Executive of our state, and the compensation for the office should be competitive to attract the best talent." LePage said in a media release. "Leaders who would make excellent governors have told me they won't consider running because of the pay cut."

Within that same bill, he's asking to increase the meal and lodging allowance for legislators who must stay overnight in Augusta from $70 to $125. He said he feels it's unfair for elected officials to have to dig into their own pockets to pay for lodging while representing the state.