LANSING – House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Township) and Minority Leader Kevin Elsenheimer (R-Kewadin) today led the House to take quick action on a plan to cut lawmakers' pay by 10 percent, part of their commitment to work together to reform government and cut state spending.
"So many working families are struggling to put food on the table, pay their heating bills and keep up with their mortgage payments – in these lean times, we must lead by example and share in the sacrifice," Dillon said. "I am pleased that the House came together today to take quick, decisive action on this plan. With the state facing such dire circumstances, we can't afford to waste any time on partisan bickering. What we need now, more than ever, is bipartisan cooperation to move Michigan forward."
"We cannot ask the people of Michigan to make sacrifices if we are not willing to do the same," Elsenheimer said. "Today, we've taken an important step toward making the tough decisions the people have sent us here to do, but there is much work to do. That is why I am glad Speaker Dillon and the Democratic Caucus are committed to working with House Republicans on bringing real reform and transparency to state government as we tackle the many issues confronting Michigan."
The House today overwhelming supported a resolution calling on the State Officers Compensation Commission (SOCC), the body in charge of determining legislator salaries, to decrease lawmakers' salaries by 10 percent as soon as possible.
The plan also will cut the salaries of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General and the Secretary of State by 10 percent. The total cuts would save at least $1.2 million a year. The plan also urges the SOCC to ensure that elected officials' salary increases do not exceed the average increase in state employee pay.