Expanding Rural Apprenticeship in Maine

The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation recently responded to a research request on rural apprenticeship programs in Maine. The findings of this request are available below.

Registered Apprenticeship is an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway proven to benefit both workers and employers. Registered Apprenticeship programs consist of supervised, on-the-job training related technical instruction to supplement experiential learning and the acquisition of an industry-recognized credential. Apprenticeship programs can increase worker retention rates for employers and overall lifetime earnings for apprentices. However, these programs are often inaccessible to learners in rural communities.

Long distances between home and work, a lack of transportation options and inadequate internet access to connect to related instruction are just a few factors that can limit the expansion of Registered Apprenticeship programs in rural communities. Additionally, smaller employers operating in rural communities may lack the capacity to manage the administrative responsibilities of apprenticeship programs. As a result, rural learners often miss out on the benefits of apprenticeship like mentorship and a progressive wage scale. In return, employers lose the opportunity to train and retain their own workforce.

Rural learners often miss out on the benefits of apprenticeship

Maine has made strides in promoting apprenticeship as a workforce development tool in rural communities. Based on the U.S. Census Bureau definitions of urban and rural areas, Registered Apprenticeship programs exist in 10 of 11 of Maine’s rural counties. Across these 10 counties, there are 33 sponsors of 64 Registered Apprenticeship programs. The rural county with the most apprenticeships is Sagadahoc, with seven sponsors of 27 apprenticeship programs. The rural county with the second-highest number of apprenticeships is Somerset with 12.

 

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State Executive Salaries: Regional and State-level Comparisons

By Caroline Wills and Rebecca Halpryn

The annual salaries for the five highest-ranking state-level executive positions- governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer- have considerable variation. CSG’s annual publication The Book of the States is a comprehensive resource for state policymakers containing in-depth information that is comparable to all 50 states on a variety of major aspects of state government operations. Within The Book of the States, Table 4.11 “Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries” provides the annual salaries for selected state administrative officials in all 50 states. The Council of State Governments collects this data annually by surveying state executive branches.  

Overview of State Executive Positions

In state governments, governors are directly elected by constituents to head the executive branch. Governors are responsible for managing state executive branches and overseeing the implementation of state laws. On behalf of the state, governors serve as intergovernmental liaisons to the federal government. Additional powers and duties by state for governors can be found in Table 4.4 and 4.5.

The lieutenant governor serves as the second-highest executive office, is usually subordinate to the governor, and typically assumes the gubernatorial role when governor is absent from office. Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon and Wyoming do not have a lieutenant governor position. More information about the lieutenant governor’s powers and duties are available within Table 4.14 in The Book of the States.

The secretary of state is usually the third in the line of succession and is responsible for overseeing all state and local elections within a state. The secretary of state in an executive state branch also has additional registration, custodial, publication, legislative and administrative powers and duties (The Book of the States: Table 4.17 & 4.18). In Alaska, Hawaii and Utah, the secretary of state position does not exist. In Utah and Alaska, the lieutenant governor takes on most of the duties of the secretary of state.

The state attorney general (The Book of the States: Tables 4.21, 4.22, & 4.23) serves as the chief legal officer and law enforcement within a state advocating for the public interest by representing their state legislature and agencies. In a majority of states, the attorney general has significant influence on how a state undertakes law enforcement procedures and services.

In an executive office, the treasurer (The Book of the States: Table 4.26) typically serves as a state’s chief financial officer by overseeing a state’s revenue and finances responsible for ensuring the safety and security of a state’s money. In Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, Montana and Texas, the treasurer’s duties are taken on by other officials.  

The average annual gubernatorial salary across all 50 states in 2022 is $148,939, a 4.12% increase from 2021. At the state-level, New York has the highest gubernatorial salary at $250,000 whereas Maine has the lowest gubernatorial salary at $70,000. Computing the average gubernatorial salary by CSG region shows that governors in the East region earn the highest salary, $170,545, on average compared to the other regions, South, $149,060, Midwest, $139,520 and West, $138,487. The difference between the highest and lowest regional averages for the annual gubernatorial salary is $32,508, whereas the difference between New York and Maine is $180,000.

The average annual lieutenant gubernatorial salary across the 45 states with lieutenant governors in 2022 is $108,380, a 0.28% decrease from 2021. New York has the highest lieutenant governor salary at $220,000 compared to Texas, which has the lowest salary at $7,200. The highest-paid lieutenant governor earns $212,800 more per year than the lowest-paid lieutenant governor. The CSG East region has the highest average lieutenant gubernatorial salary at $142,922 compared to the CSG South region, which has the lowest average salary at $78,274. This is a difference of $64,648.

Across all 47 states, the 2022 average salary for the secretary of state position is $121,628, a 2.95% annual increase from 2021. Arizona has the lowest annual salary at $70,000 while Tennessee has the highest salary at $222,252 for the secretary of state position. The CSG region with the highest average salary for a secretary of state is the Eastern region at $137,041, and the CSG region with the lowest is the Midwestern region at $103,946. 

The average salary for state attorney general in 2022 is $139,075 across all 50 states, a 1.05% annual increase from 2021. Oregon has the lowest annual salary for an attorney general at $82,220 and New York has the highest salary at $220,000. The difference between New York and Oregon is $137,780. A CSG regional analysis indicates the Eastern region has the highest average salary for the attorney general position, $155,126, while the Midwestern region has the lowest at $125,841. 

The average annual salary for treasurer in 2022 across all 45 states is $126,015, a 2.15% increase from $123,358 in 2021. The state with the lowest salary for Treasurer is Arizona at $70,000 and the state with the highest salary is Tennessee at $222,252. The CSG East region has the highest average salary, $143,298, for the treasurer position while the Midwest region has the lowest, $110,124. 

Data notes:

  • Annual salaries reported do not include benefits and other compensation for selected state officeholders. General wage and salary adjustments for officials within states’ executive branches are automatically increased with the rate of inflation or must be negotiated and legislatively approved.  
  • Connecticut was the only state that did not respond to the 2022 CSG Survey of State Personnel Agencies and State Salary Databases, data from the 2021 CSG SPA&SSD Survey was used.
  • The Council of State Governments Regions are defined by the regional offices and the states as listed below:
    • West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming
    • Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
    • South: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia
    • East: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont

Expanding rural apprenticeship in Maine

The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation recently responded to a research request on rural apprenticeship programs in Maine. The findings of this request are available below.

Registered Apprenticeship is an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway proven to benefit both workers and employers. Registered Apprenticeship programs consist of supervised, on-the-job training related technical instruction to supplement experiential learning and the acquisition of an industry-recognized credential. Apprenticeship programs can increase worker retention rates for employers and overall lifetime earnings for apprentices. However, these programs are often inaccessible to learners in rural communities.

Long distances between home and work, a lack of transportation options and inadequate internet access to connect to related instruction are just a few factors that can limit the expansion of Registered Apprenticeship programs in rural communities. Additionally, smaller employers operating in rural communities may lack the capacity to manage the administrative responsibilities of apprenticeship programs. As a result, rural learners often miss out on the benefits of apprenticeship like mentorship and a progressive wage scale. In return, employers lose the opportunity to train and retain their own workforce.

Rural learners often miss out on the benefits of apprenticeship

Maine has made strides in promoting apprenticeship as a workforce development tool in rural communities. Based on the U.S. Census Bureau definitions of urban and rural areas, Registered Apprenticeship programs exist in 10 of 11 of Maine’s rural counties. Across these 10 counties, there are 33 sponsors of 64 Registered Apprenticeship programs. The rural county with the most apprenticeships is Sagadahoc, with seven sponsors of 27 apprenticeship programs. The rural county with the second-highest number of apprenticeships is Somerset with 12.

 

Southern Pulse Newsletter, January 2023

GREETINGS MEMBERS, 

Hello 2023! After a much-needed holiday break celebrating with our loved ones, the CSG South team is refreshed and ready to kick off an event-packed year. We hope you and yours enjoyed the respite as much as we did!

January means a new year, but for many of our states, it also means the 2023 legislative session has begun. Like the morning toll signaling members to convene in their chambers, the green light has signaled our staffers to kick off State Visit season!

Over the next few months, we will be visiting YOUR State Capitol – January 18-19th (Virginia),January 24-25th (West Virginia), January 30th-Febuary 1st (Arkansas), Feb 6-8th (Missouri), Feb 14-15th (Kentucky), Feb 21st-23rd (Mississippi), Feb 28th-March 1st (Texas), March 7-8th (Oklahoma), March 14-15th (North Carolina), March 28-30th (South Carolina), April 4-5th (Florida), April 10-12th (Tennessee), April 18-20th (Louisiana), and April 25-26th (Alabama).  We will also be visiting Georgia throughout the session as it is right down the road from CSG South.  Our staff will be reaching out to your offices via phone and email to schedule meetings to discuss your legislative priorities this year and offer our assistance as a nonpartisan extension of your office. We will also tell you about all the exciting programs and leadership development opportunities planned this year.  We know you’re busy – so if your schedule is packed, just grab us in the halls or wave us down from the floor! We’ll leave you with all the information you need to get a hold of us via phone and email.

As always, keep your finger on the pulse by checking back on our website, newsletter, and social media for continual updates on State Visit dates, policy publications and requests, programs and so much more. We can’t wait to see you!

Click here to read Southern Pulse- January 2023

The post Southern Pulse Newsletter, January 2023 appeared first on CSG South.

Southern Pulse Newsletter, December 2022

The office is decorated, the gifts are given, and the aloha’s exchanged. The Council of State Governments National office conducted its annual conference in Hawaii earlier this month and I appreciate seeing several CSG South faces present.  

For members and staff alike, we know that concurrent with the holiday season is pre-filing season, followed by the digital tolling of bells ringing in the start of the legislative session. As you gear up for your busy seasons, keep in mind that CSG South is here to help. We bring gifts of top-notch, region-specific policy analysis, leadership and professional development tailored for your unique roles, alongside virtual and in-person workshops. Even better, we provide this all year – making us competitive with the magic of Santa himself!

On behalf of your CSG South family, have the happiest of holidays and a blessed New Year. We can’t wait to see you in 2023!

Click here to read Southern Pulse- December 2022

The post Southern Pulse Newsletter, December 2022 appeared first on CSG South.

Southern Pulse Newsletter, January 2023

GREETINGS MEMBERS, 

Hello 2023! After a much-needed holiday break celebrating with our loved ones, the CSG South team is refreshed and ready to kick off an event-packed year. We hope you and yours enjoyed the respite as much as we did!

January means a new year, but for many of our states, it also means the 2023 legislative session has begun. Like the morning toll signaling members to convene in their chambers, the green light has signaled our staffers to kick off State Visit season!

Over the next few months, we will be visiting YOUR State Capitol – January 18-19th (Virginia),January 24-25th (West Virginia), January 30th-Febuary 1st (Arkansas), Feb 6-8th (Missouri), Feb 14-15th (Kentucky), Feb 21st-23rd (Mississippi), Feb 28th-March 1st (Texas), March 7-8th (Oklahoma), March 14-15th (North Carolina), March 28-30th (South Carolina), April 4-5th (Florida), April 10-12th (Tennessee), April 18-20th (Louisiana), and April 25-26th (Alabama).  We will also be visiting Georgia throughout the session as it is right down the road from CSG South.  Our staff will be reaching out to your offices via phone and email to schedule meetings to discuss your legislative priorities this year and offer our assistance as a nonpartisan extension of your office. We will also tell you about all the exciting programs and leadership development opportunities planned this year.  We know you’re busy – so if your schedule is packed, just grab us in the halls or wave us down from the floor! We’ll leave you with all the information you need to get a hold of us via phone and email.

As always, keep your finger on the pulse by checking back on our website, newsletter, and social media for continual updates on State Visit dates, policy publications and requests, programs and so much more. We can’t wait to see you!

Click here to read Southern Pulse- January 2023

The post Southern Pulse Newsletter, January 2023 appeared first on CSG South.

In Memoriam: Bobby Silverstein (1949-2022)

The CSG West family is mourning the recent loss of Bobby Silverstein, a partner at Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville PC, Attorneys at Law. Bobby served on Capitol Hill as staff director and chief counsel for the Senate Subcommittee on Disability Policy of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, which was chaired by former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin. As a tireless advocate for individuals with disabilities in the workforce, he gained notoriety as the “behind-the-scenes architect” of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Bobby had more than four decades of public policy experience in the disability arena, crafting nearly two dozen bills which eventually became law.

Beloved by those he worked with, State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED) colleague, Katia Albanese, described Bobby as “more than a colleague to most of us…he was a mentor, a teacher, a brother.” Just last month, he participated in the SEED Partner Retreat along with CSG West staff. Bobby also participated in CSG West’s 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting during a session titled “Celebrating the ADA: A Look Forward to the Next 30 Years.”

CSG West expresses its sincere condolences to the family and colleagues of Bobby Silverstein, along with others who had the opportunity to know and collaborate with him over the years. His enthusiasm, insight, and dedication will be deeply missed, and his legacy will continue to impact people with disabilities for decades to come.

The post <strong>In Memoriam: Bobby Silverstein (1949-2022)</strong> appeared first on CSG West.

Congratulations to the WLA Class of 2022!

The Western Legislative Academy (WLA) Class of 2022 convened December 13-16 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where 42 participants completed three and a half days of intensive training designed to strengthen legislative leadership skills.

Class members engaged with faculty and each other to learn and employ strategies that support consensus building and negotiation, sharpen leadership techniques, effectively navigate conflict, and develop insights into the impact of personality styles, among others.

Utah Representative Andrew Stoddard was selected by his peers as this year’s WLA Class President. As class president, he will have an opportunity to facilitate a training session during the 2023 CSG West Annual Meeting, serve on the CSG West Executive Committee, and will return to Colorado Springs to welcome next year’s WLA class.

This year’s class was exceptionally engaged and CSG West looks forward to continued collaboration. Congratulations, Class of 2022!

Click here to read the 2022 Class Biographies

Utah Representative Andrew Stoddard 2022 WLA Class President

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