what is the difference between the highest and the lowest base salary in 2007?
the committee's assessment of other elements of compensation provided to the named executive officer . the corporate and business unit goals and objectives vary by individual officers and include , among other things , corporate and business unit financial performance , capital expenditures , cost containment , safety , reliability , customer service , business development and regulatory matters . the use of "internal pay equity" in setting merit increases is limited to determining whether a change in an executive officer's role and responsibilities relative to other executive officers requires an adjustment in the officer's salary . the committee has not established any predetermined formula against which the base salary of one named executive officer is measured against another officer or employee . in 2008 , on the basis of the market data and other factors described above , merit-based salary increases for the named executive officers were approved in amounts ranging from 3.2 to 5.2 percent . in general these merit-based increases were consistent with the merit increase percentages approved with respect to named executive officers in the last two years ( excluding adjustments in salaries related to market factors , promotions or other changes in job responsibilities ) . the following table sets forth the 2007 base salaries for the named executive officers , the 2008 percentage increase and the resulting 2008 base salary . except as described below , changes in base salaries were effective in april of each of the years shown . named executive officer 2007 base salary percentage increase 2008 base salary .

| Named Executive Officer | 2007 Base Salary | Percentage Increase | 2008 Base Salary |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| J. Wayne Leonard | $1,230,000 | 5.0% | $1,291,500 |
| Leo P. Denault | $600,000 | 5.0% | $630,000 |
| Richard J. Smith | $622,400 | 3.5% | $645,000 |
| E. Renae Conley | $392,000 | 4.0% | $407,680 |
| Hugh T. McDonald | $311,992 | 3.2% | $322,132 |
| Joseph F. Domino | $307,009 | 3.5% | $317,754 |
| Roderick K. West | $276,000 | 13.75% | $315,000 |
| Theodore H. Bunting, Jr. | $325,000 | 5.2% | $341,900 |
| Haley Fisackerly | $205,004 | 32.9% | $275,000 |
| Carolyn Shanks | $307,009 | 3.3% | $317,140 |
| Jay A. Lewis | $207,000 | 3.24% | $213,707 |

in addition to the market-based and other factors described above , the following factors were considered by the committee with respect to the officers identified below : mr . leonard's salary was increased due to the personnel committee's assessment of , among other things , his strong performance as chief executive officer of entergy corporation , entergy corporation's financial and operational performance in 2007 and comparative market data on base salaries for chief executive officers . in may , 2008 , carolyn shanks resigned as ceo - entergy mississippi and accepted a conditional offer of employment at enexus energy corporation . upon her resignation , mr . fisackerly was promoted to president and ceo of entergy mississippi , and mr . fisackerly's salary was increased to reflect the increased responsibilities of his new position and comparative market and internal data for officers holding similar positions and performing similar responsibilities . in the third quarter of 2008 , mr . bunting took on the role of principal financial officer for the subsidiaries replacing mr . lewis in that position . in the third quarter of 2008 , mr . lewis assumed a position with enexus energy corporation . mr . west's salary was increased to reflect his performance as ceo - entergy new orleans , the strategic challenges facing entergy new orleans and the importance of retaining mr . west to manage these challenges and to retain internal competitiveness of mr . west's salary with officers in the company holding similar positions. .

highest_salary = 1230000
lowest_salary = 205004
difference = highest_salary - lowest_salary
answer = difference