Mike Minogue Promised to Forego a Salary — Here’s How Mass. Law Gets in the Way

Massachusetts Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue has stated he would not take a paycheck if elected on November 3, 2026, but can the state legally withhold his pay?

Massachusetts General Law on Executive Compensation

Massachusetts General Law Chapter 6, Section 1, requires the Commonwealth to issue a paycheck to the governor.

The current governor receives a base salary of $243,493, plus $65,000 for housing and other compensation, for a total annual compensation of $308,493. The governor's salary is tied to state wage and median household income adjustments under a 2017 state law.

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The pay rate makes incumbent Governor Maura Healey among the highest-paid governors in the nation.

"I have spent my life giving back to the community, especially in education, healthcare, and veterans' causes, and declining the governor's salary is another way to reflect those values," Minogue stated in a November 21, 2025 press release, repeating the pledge during the recent WBZ-TV debate with Healey.

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The campaign says Minogue would also decline any "additional allowances or benefits tied to the office."

How Candidates Can Work Around State Salary Mandates

Minogue could decline compensation in two ways. First, he could accept the paycheck and immediately sign it over to a charity, educational institution, or back into the state's general treasury fund. The other option would allow Minogue to refuse to accept or cash his paycheck, allowing the unclaimed funds to revert to the treasury.

Historical Precedents: Donating Public Paychecks

Mitt Romney donated his entire paycheck to charity during his term as Governor of Massachusetts. Presidents Herbert Hoover, John F. Kennedy and Donald Trump have donated their presidential salaries to charity.

As Attorney General, Healey accepted her $185,000 base salary but declined a substantial pay increase approved in 2017 for the remainder of her term.