AUGUSTA — A website that has databases of Maine public employees’ pay says total payroll and benefits in the University of Maine System increased by 29 percent during the eight years ending in 2010.

MaineOpenGov.org says those costs rose from $258 million in 2003 to $333 million last year. The figures update earlier UMaine payroll data, which did not contain overtime and stipend data, and included just three years of spending information.

The updated figures show the number of employees earning more than $100,000 in total compensation increased from 399 in 2003, to 1,018 in 2010. The overall 29 percent increase in payroll and benefits accompanied tuition hikes of 35 percent.

MaineOpenGov.org is a website maintained by the conservative public policy organization Maine Heritage Policy Center.


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