# Massachusetts governors give up their salries...is this unheard of? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 1, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusetts-governors-give-up-their-salries-is-this-unheard-of/146058 "2003-01-01T17:24:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pammipoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/87869e/32.png) [@Pammipoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pammipoo)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusetts-governors-give-up-their-salries-is-this-unheard-of/146058/1 "2003-01-01T17:24:01Z")
[Romney and Healey will not take pay](http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/local_regional/romney01012003.htm) > [@](#): > > BOSTON – In a nod to the state’s fiscal crisis, Gov.-elect Mitt Romney and his lieutenant governor announced yesterday they will not accept a paycheck as long as they are in office. > > Romney said he and Lt. Gov.-elect Kerry Healey opted to forgo their salaries, a combined $255,000 annually, “in the spirit of volunteerism” and to help boost the pay for his senior-level staff members. > > “We face huge challenges in the coming year that require sacrifices of us all,” Romney said in a written statement. “This is a symbolic move that we hope sets the appropriate tone and which demonstrates our strong commitment to public service.” Given that they are both extremely well off, it’s not a strain on their personal finances. Has this been done before, or is it just a huge publicity stunt? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusetts-governors-give-up-their-salries-is-this-unheard-of/146058/2 "2003-01-01T18:37:10Z")
Mike Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, had his salary reduced to $1 a year from the standard $195,000, IIRC. Of course, Mike Bloomberg is already worth $4 billion. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusetts-governors-give-up-their-salries-is-this-unheard-of/146058/3 "2003-01-01T20:24:31Z")
Remember Ross Perot? He said that he would do the same thing if elected President. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusetts-governors-give-up-their-salries-is-this-unheard-of/146058/4 "2003-01-01T21:49:03Z")
That is cool. Very cool. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusetts-governors-give-up-their-salries-is-this-unheard-of/146058/5 "2003-01-01T23:44:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*Mike Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, had his salary reduced to $1 a year from the standard $195,000, IIRC. > > Of course, Mike Bloomberg is already worth $4 billion. 😃 \*\* The same’s true about Romney – although I don’t know if he’s worth $4 billion. Probably very close to it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusetts-governors-give-up-their-salries-is-this-unheard-of/146058/6 "2003-01-02T01:17:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hastur \* > \*\*That is cool. Very cool. \*\* Yes, except that they’re giving raises to their top staff members with the savings. From $130,000 to about $160,000. That’s going to help the economy. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusetts-governors-give-up-their-salries-is-this-unheard-of/146058/7 "2003-01-02T01:19:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kiz \* > \*\*The same’s true about Romney – although I don’t know if he’s worth $4 billion. Probably very close to it, though. \*\* Oops, I forgot to add, the same is true about Kerry Murphy-Healy. She’s also worth in the high single millions to low 10 millions, I’d guess, from having seen her house, and what else I know of her. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusetts-governors-give-up-their-salries-is-this-unheard-of/146058/8 "2003-01-02T01:20:37Z")
I thought that JFK didn’t take a salary as President or Senator. I heard/read that a long time ago. I wonder if it was true.