LANSING — This week, Republican legislators are considering efforts to strip away critically important benefits for retired police and firefighters, such as health care. In response, House Democratic Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) issued the following statement:
“When police and firefighters take an oath to protect their neighbors, they do so knowing that they are putting their own lives on the line. Many police officers incur injuries that need lifelong care, and firefighters often develop diseases from inhaling toxic fumes that don’t end at retirement age. That’s why our communities stand by these hometown heroes by pledging to give them health care in retirement. For Republicans to consider shredding these agreements is flat-out wrong. Republicans in the Legislature know they’ve slashed community funding through the revenue sharing program, making it harder for cities and counties to live up to their promises to our first responders. The conversation we need to have is how to restore that funding — not how to take away health care from retired police officers and firefighters.”