LANSING – In an effort to bring accountability to state government, State Representative Brandon Dillon (D-Grand Rapids) today cosponsored a plan to dock state elected officials’ pay if they do not pass the state budget by July 1. Unlike a similar plan introduced in the Michigan Senate, the House plan will apply to the Governor and Lt. Governor.
“I’ve said all along that we need to change the way things work in Lansing so that our residents get the state government they deserve,” Dillon said. “In recent years, lawmakers have used the state budget as a bargaining tool and played politics with Michigan’s future and taxpayer dollars while our families were the ones who paid the price. This plan will make it crystal clear to our elected officials that those games are unacceptable and have no place in the Capitol.”
The plan will require that the state budget be passed by both the state Senate and House of Representatives and signed into law by July 1. Under the plan, legislators would lose a day’s pay for every day that the budget is not presented to the Governor after July 1. Once the budget is presented, the Governor and Lt. Governor would also lose a day’s pay for every day after July 1 that it remains unsigned.
“Lawmakers have a duty to serve the people and focus on finding solutions that will help turn Michigan around,” Dillon said. “That includes passing a balanced budget on time. If they don’t do their job, we have to be able to hold them accountable.”