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, state Representative Tenisha Yancey (D-Harper Woods) issued the following response:
“Firefighters and police officers take an oath to serve and protect, and that means that they put our safety before their own. Any attempt to cut the health benefits of first responders and leave retirees without the care they earned lacks empathy. The state has underfunded our local governments for years, and our first responders would be the latest victims if they lost their health care benefits. I stand with my first responders and will fight against any attempt to strip them of the benefits they earned.”