Substantial Raise for Maine Governor and Legislators One Step Closer to Being Finalized

The Legislature’s Budget Committee has approved a measure that would give both legislators and the governor a substantial raise beginning in 2024 and 2026 respectively, according to reporting from the Bangor Daily News.

If approved, these measures would increase the governor’s salary from $70,000 to $125,000, as well as the governor’s non-audited expense account from $30,000 to $40,000. Legislators’ salaries would also rise from $25,000 to $45,000 a session.

The governor’s salary was last raised in 1987, and legislators most recently received a pay increase in 1999.

Before going into effect, the Legislature as a whole must vote to approve the changes.

Gov. Janet Mills (D) would not benefit from the potential raise, as it would not go into effect until after she would be term-limited out of office.

Similarly, legislators’ pay increases would become effective only after the next Legislature has been seated.

The bill to provide legislators a raise was bipartisan, having been sponsored by Rep. David Woodsome (R-Waterboro) and co-sponsored by Rep. William R. Bridgeo (D-Augusta) Matt Moonen (D-Portland), Rep. Laurie Osher (D-Orono), Rep. Maureen Fitzgerald Terry (D-Gorham), Rep. Ann Fredericks (R-Sanford), Rep. Lucas John Lanigan (R-Sanford), Rep. Heidi H. Sampson (R-Alfred), and Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland).

The bill increasing the governor’s salary and expense account was also bipartisan, as it was sponsored by Rep. William R. Bridgeo (D-Augusta) and co-sponsored by Rep. H. Sawin Millett Jr. (R-Waterford).

The Legislature initially approved both of these bills without roll call votes, and they have now been placed on the Special Appropriations Table pending final passage.