How much does a president make?
There is nothing of huge historical significance that happened in presidential history on this date as far as I can tell, so I thought I'd blog on the question of what a president gets paid.
When George Washington took the job in 1789, he was paid an annual salary of $25,000. Today, the president is paid a salary of $400,000. I was curious was a salary of $25,000 in 1789 equalled in today's dollars, and wouldn't you know that Wikipedia was way ahead of me with this table:
Date established: Salary at the time/Salary in 2009 dollars
1. September 24, 1789: $25,000 / $566,000
2. March 3, 1873: $50,000 / $865,000
3. March 4, 1909: $75,000 / $1,714,000
4. January 19, 1949: $100,000 / $906,000
5. January 20, 1969: $200,000 / $1,175,000
6. January 20, 2001: $400,000
Besides the salary, the president is paid a $50,000 annual expense account, a $100,000 non-taxable travel account and $19,000 for entertainment.
A number of other pretty good percs come with the job. The White House serves as the official place of residence for the president. He is entitled to use its staff and facilities, including medical care, recreation, housekeeping, and security services. Naval Support Facility Thurmont, popularly known as Camp David, is used as a country retreat and for high alert protection of the president and his guests. Blair House, located adjacent to the Old Executive Office Building at the White House Complex and Lafayette Park, is a complex of four connected townhouses exceeding 70,000 square feet of floor space which serves as the president's official guest house and as a secondary residence for the president if needed.
For ground travel, the president uses the presidential state car, which is an armored limousine built on a heavily modified Cadillac-based chassis. One of two identical Boeing VC-25 aircraft, which are extensively modified versions of Boeing 747-200B airliners, serve as long distance travel for the president, and are referred to as Air Force One while the president is on board. The president also uses a United States Marine Corps helicopter, designated Marine One when the president is aboard. The United States Secret Service is charged with protecting the sitting president and his family.
Since 1959, all living former presidents are paid a pension, and are given an office and a staff. The pension has increased numerous times with Congressional approval. Retired presidents now receive a pension based on the salary of the current administration's cabinet secretaries, which is $191,300 as of 2008. Some former presidents have also collected congressional pensions. The Former Presidents Act also provides former presidents with travel funds and franking privileges.
Until 1997, all former presidents, and their families, were protected by the Secret Service until the president's death. The last president to have lifetime Secret Service protection is Bill Clinton. George W. Bush and all subsequent presidents will be protected by the Secret Service for a maximum of ten years after leaving office.
When George Washington took the job in 1789, he was paid an annual salary of $25,000. Today, the president is paid a salary of $400,000. I was curious was a salary of $25,000 in 1789 equalled in today's dollars, and wouldn't you know that Wikipedia was way ahead of me with this table:
Date established: Salary at the time/Salary in 2009 dollars
1. September 24, 1789: $25,000 / $566,000
2. March 3, 1873: $50,000 / $865,000
3. March 4, 1909: $75,000 / $1,714,000
4. January 19, 1949: $100,000 / $906,000
5. January 20, 1969: $200,000 / $1,175,000
6. January 20, 2001: $400,000
Besides the salary, the president is paid a $50,000 annual expense account, a $100,000 non-taxable travel account and $19,000 for entertainment.
A number of other pretty good percs come with the job. The White House serves as the official place of residence for the president. He is entitled to use its staff and facilities, including medical care, recreation, housekeeping, and security services. Naval Support Facility Thurmont, popularly known as Camp David, is used as a country retreat and for high alert protection of the president and his guests. Blair House, located adjacent to the Old Executive Office Building at the White House Complex and Lafayette Park, is a complex of four connected townhouses exceeding 70,000 square feet of floor space which serves as the president's official guest house and as a secondary residence for the president if needed.
For ground travel, the president uses the presidential state car, which is an armored limousine built on a heavily modified Cadillac-based chassis. One of two identical Boeing VC-25 aircraft, which are extensively modified versions of Boeing 747-200B airliners, serve as long distance travel for the president, and are referred to as Air Force One while the president is on board. The president also uses a United States Marine Corps helicopter, designated Marine One when the president is aboard. The United States Secret Service is charged with protecting the sitting president and his family.
Since 1959, all living former presidents are paid a pension, and are given an office and a staff. The pension has increased numerous times with Congressional approval. Retired presidents now receive a pension based on the salary of the current administration's cabinet secretaries, which is $191,300 as of 2008. Some former presidents have also collected congressional pensions. The Former Presidents Act also provides former presidents with travel funds and franking privileges.
Until 1997, all former presidents, and their families, were protected by the Secret Service until the president's death. The last president to have lifetime Secret Service protection is Bill Clinton. George W. Bush and all subsequent presidents will be protected by the Secret Service for a maximum of ten years after leaving office.