In 2016, when the topic of increasing the future governors’ salary in the state of Maine was discussed, I looked up the information online about governor’s compensation.
When I checked that same source again recently, the information had not changed. I found that the pay of a retiring governor is connected to the pay of the current or new governor. A retiring governor gets 37.5 percent of the current governor’s salary. If the Legislature passes the current LePage administration bill LD 1878 to increase the next governor’s salary to $150,000, then Gov. LePage’s retirement would go from about $26,000 to $56,000. (You can do the math .375 x $70,000. compared to .375 x $150,000.)
That is a big difference.
The following sentence from that official online source is being misinterpreted: “The amount of the retirement allowance is 3/8 of the annual salary being paid the current governor on the date the former governor reaches age 60 or leaves office, which ever comes later.”
Gov. Paul LePage is already past age 60, so he will be applying for retirement compensation after he completes his term and the next governor takes office.
Is the goal of LD 1878 to raise future governors’ salary or raise the current governor’s retirement pay?
Susan Lea, Poland,
Send questions/comments to the editors.
