House Must Reject Bishop Plan to Protect Legislators' Free Ride
Progress MI to House: Send ‘Lump of Coal’ back to Senate, cut salary and end free lifetime health care before Christmas
December 4, 2007
LANSING – Progress Michigan today called on the House to reject Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop’s plan to protect state legislators’ free lifetime health care and $79,000-a-year base salary, urging action before Christmas on a tougher plan to slash legislators’ pay and end lifetime health benefits right now – not in the future.
“While Michigan families struggle to make ends meet this holiday season, Sen. Mike Bishop is giving himself and his Senate friends an early Christmas gift of free rides and lavish perks – and that’s outrageous,“said Progress Michigan Executive Director Dan Farough. “Since Sen. Bishop has failed to lead by example, the House must send this lump of coal back to the Senate and end legislators’ free lifetime health care before they break for Christmas, not years down the road. People are losing their jobs, their health care and their houses and they want leadership from Lansing not legislators who protect their special privileges.”
The Senate recently passed a plan pushed by Bishop that essentially protects the free lifetime health care benefits and lavish salaries for current legislators. Under Bishop’s plan, any cuts to legislators’ salaries must be approved by a state panel that will not meet for over a year from now. His plan also protects free lifetime health care benefits for current and future Senators.
“Michigan families want their legislators to lead by example in these tough economic times,” Farough said. “While Michigan families sacrifice this Christmas, we call on the House to stand with them and end legislators’ lavish perks.”
Progress Michigan has been leading a public pressure campaign to force the legislature to give up its free lifetime health care and cut its pay by 5 percent. A proposal that passed the House earlier this year took a step in the right direction, but was rejected by the Senate. Progress Michigan’s pressure campaign includes an online tool that allows the public to email their legislator directly on this issue at www.progressmichigan.org.
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