There have been no shockers on the prime of the Massachusetts legislative payroll for the final two-year session.
Home Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka had been the lead earners for the 2 years that made up the 2023-2024 legislative session. Every of the Democrats pulled in additional than $400,000 over the course of the two-year time period, based on state payroll data.
And the highest ten highest earners in every department featured a lineup of well-known pols who both headed up subject-specific committees or served in Republican or Democratic management posts.
Mariano and Spilka every have broad management over their respective chambers as a result of Democrats maintain a supermajority in each the Home and Senate. The 2 lawmakers even have a big sway over which payments come up for a vote and ultimately head to the governor’s desk.
Mariano, a Quincy Democrat, earned $203,142 in 2023, a sum that features the $73,511 base pay for a lawmaker that yr and $129,631 in “other” pay, state data present.
The previous schoolteacher took dwelling $203,286 in 2024 after combining the marginally bigger $73,655 base pay for a lawmaker that yr and $129,631 in “other” pay, based on publicly accessible information.
Spilka, an Ashland Democrat, additionally took dwelling $203,142 in 2023 after combining the 2023 base pay and $129,631 in “other” pay, based on state information. The Senate president earned $203,286 in 2024 after including the bottom pay for that yr and $129,631 in “other” pay, state payroll data present.
Second to Mariano and Spilka for highest-paid legislators over the 2023-2024 session had been the 2 Democrats accountable for crafting the state finances — Sen. Michael Rodrigues of Westport and Rep. Aaron Michlewitz of the North Finish.
Michlewitz, who’s seen as Mariano’s successor as soon as the speaker heads for the exit, introduced in additional than $365,000 over the two-year time period — $182,674 in 2023 and $182,818 in 2024, payroll data present.
Rodrigues earned barely greater than his counterpart — $196,593 in 2023 and $196,737 in 2024 for a mixed two-year take-home of over $393,000, based on state payroll information.
Democrats weren’t the one ones to money in on jobs within the Legislature.
The highest two Republicans within the Home and Senate had been among the many prime ten earners in every department for the 2023-2024 legislative time period.
Senate Minority Chief Bruce Tarr was the eighth highest paid lawmaker within the Senate, bringing in $175,852 in 2023 and $175,996 in 2024 for a mixed two-year whole of greater than $351,000, based on payroll data.
The Gloucester Republican led a caucus of three different Republicans throughout the 2023-2024 session, a gaggle that was expanded by one for the 2025-2026 time period after the election of Sen. Kelly Dooner of Taunton.
Home Minority Chief Brad Jones was the third highest paid lawmaker within the Home after Mariano and Michlewitz. The North Studying Republican raked in $175,852 in 2023 and $175,996 in 2024 for a two-year whole of greater than $351,000, state payroll data present.
Jones led a caucus of greater than 20 Republicans — the quantity fluctuated all through the two-year time period. He now heads up 25 Republicans this session, although two particular elections are taking part in out this yr that might change that quantity.
Within the Senate, Spilka’s management group made up a majority of the highest ten earners within the chamber.
Sen. Cindy Creem of Newton, who served as majority chief or the second highest rating Democrat final session, was the third highest paid lawmaker, bringing in a two-year whole of over $392,000, or $196,320 in 2023 and $196,464 in 2024, payroll data present.
Sen. Joan Pretty of Salem and Sen. Michael Barrett of Lexington had been every assistant majority leaders final session, a place that successfully tied them for the fourth highest rating Democrats within the chamber.
Pretty and Barrett had been additionally the fourth and fifth-highest paid lawmakers within the Senate, with each legislators taking dwelling a two-year whole of greater than $365,000, state information reveals.
Sen. William Brownsberger of Belmont, who was the third highest-ranking Democrat within the Senate as president professional tempore, and Sen. Sal DiDomenico of Everett, who served as one other assistant majority chief, had been additionally paid greater than $365,000 over the two-year time period, based on state information.
Sen. Julian Cyr of Truro served as assistant majority whip, the bottom rating put up in Senate management, and got here in because the tenth highest-paid lawmaker within the chamber. The Democrat earned over $338,000 over two years — $169,029 in 2023 and $169,173 in 2024.
The highest ten highest-paid lawmakers within the Home final session featured members of each Democratic and Republican management.
Rep. Michael Moran, the bulk chief within the Home, was the fourth highest paid lawmaker over the two-year time period. The Brighton Democrat introduced in additional than $351,000 after combining his 2023 and 2024 salaries, based on state information.
Rep. Kate Hogan of Stow, the second-ranking Democrat as speaker professional tempore, was the fifth highest-paid pol final session at over $324,000, information reveals.
Rep. Kimberley Ferguson, a Holden Republican, got here in sixth, adopted by Democratic Rep. Antonio Cabral of New Bedford in seventh, former Republican Rep. Jay Barrows of Mansfield in eighth, Democratic Rep. Michael Finn of West Springfield in ninth, and Republican Rep. Paul Frost of Auburn in tenth, based on state information.
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