A common saying among Maine lawmakers is that calculating their compensation as an hourly wage would reveal that they receive a pittance — but they usually follow that up quickly with, “but I’m not in it for the money.”
There is no question that most lawmakers devote considerable hours and attention to the Legislature, especially when it is in session and that the pay they receive is not enough to support a Maine family. However, when allowances, reimbursements and benefits are considered, it’s not such a bad deal that lies somewhere between the extremes of what state lawmakers make in other states.
In neighboring New Hampshire, according to FiveThirtyEight, lawmakers make $100 per year and are paid no per diem costs. On the other end of the spectrum is California, where legislators make close to $100,000 per year with a slate of benefits. In 2014, according to FiveThirtyEight, the median annual base pay for lawmakers in the United States was about $20,833..
The County is pleased to feature content from our sister company, Bangor Daily News. To read the rest of “How much each lawmaker costs Maine,” an article by contributing Bangor Daily News staff writer Christopher Cousins, please follow this link to the BDN online.
