Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has announced an 11.39% pay raise for state lawmakers based on data indicating an increase in the state's median household income. This adjustment pushes legislators' base salary from approximately $73,655 to $82,046 and includes additional increases for various leadership positions, according to MassLive.
As per State House News Service, the pay increase is the result of a review of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, which showed that median income in Massachusetts for the 2023-2024 period, rose by 11.39%. Notably, this increase for lawmakers comes on the heels of an already announced 10% raise for Gov. Healey and other statewide constitutional officers that took effect today. This pay adjustment is also set to affect the stipends which are received by legislators on top of their base salary.
According to Boston 25 News, legislative leaders will see significant increases, with House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen E. Spilka’s extra pay reaching $119,632, elevating their total salary to approximately $224,000 annually. The raise extends to various stipends for expenses and travel, with amounts between $20,468 and $27,291 now rising to a range of $22,431 to $29,908.
Moreover, the report by MassLive detailed that the budget chiefs' stipends in both chambers will be $97,200, and the stipends for floor leaders will top at $89,723. Various committee chairs and other leaders are also poised to see an increase in their extra pay. Governor Healey's salary is set to rise to $243,493 and, including her annual housing stipend, her total compensation will reach $308,493.
Treasurer Deborah Goldberg will receive a salary increase, raising her annual compensation to $261,694, placing her among the highest-paid statewide elected officials in her position across the U.S. These adjustments to salaries and stipends are in line with the commonwealth's law, which mandates periodic reviews and adjustments based on median income statistics—a practice also followed by previous administrations, including that of former Governor Charlie Baker, who based legislative pay raises on the American Community Survey's findings.
