Dealing with full-time problems in Michigan
Cody Ewers
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: Opinion
Dealing with full-time problems in Michigan Legislature does almost nothing but complicate the grim circumstance.
The state's problems are vast. The budget has not been in worse shape in 50 years, and a March 2006 Citizens Research Council of Michigan study showed the state's "The Big Three" continues to drag the state down with its declining numbers. Michigan employment and production continue to drop, as the terrible economy slips further down from an already devastating condition.
Michigan is one of four states to have a true full-time legislature. This means it can meet an unlimited number of days each year and pays enough that its employees don't need a second job. The oversized and overpaid legislature hasn't produced a state budget within deadline in years. Although they have managed to balance the budget every year since 2005, they have depleted nearly all their reserve capital in the process.
Michigan's legislature operates on a bicameral system with a house of representatives and a senate, together accounting for 148 members. It's an absurd size because Michigan has one-third the population of California but a 23 percent larger legislature, with its members earning the second-highest state legislative salary in the nation. According to the National Conference of State Legislators Web site, the national salary average per full-time legislator is $68,599. Michigan legislators earn $79,650, plus a yearly tax-free per diem of $12,000 given to them in a series of 12 virtually untraceable payments. In addition, after six years of being in office, legislators enjoy lifelong health and retirement benefits.
State legislatures that operate on a part-time schedule, such as Texas, which pays its legislators a whopping $7,500 per year, and New Mexico, whose legislators receive no annual salary, accomplish relatively the same amount of work with fewer meetings. Legislators in a part-time system maximize their productivity while in session so they receive the same payment for less time spent on the job.
The state's problems are vast. The budget has not been in worse shape in 50 years, and a March 2006 Citizens Research Council of Michigan study showed the state's "The Big Three" continues to drag the state down with its declining numbers. Michigan employment and production continue to drop, as the terrible economy slips further down from an already devastating condition.
Michigan is one of four states to have a true full-time legislature. This means it can meet an unlimited number of days each year and pays enough that its employees don't need a second job. The oversized and overpaid legislature hasn't produced a state budget within deadline in years. Although they have managed to balance the budget every year since 2005, they have depleted nearly all their reserve capital in the process.
Michigan's legislature operates on a bicameral system with a house of representatives and a senate, together accounting for 148 members. It's an absurd size because Michigan has one-third the population of California but a 23 percent larger legislature, with its members earning the second-highest state legislative salary in the nation. According to the National Conference of State Legislators Web site, the national salary average per full-time legislator is $68,599. Michigan legislators earn $79,650, plus a yearly tax-free per diem of $12,000 given to them in a series of 12 virtually untraceable payments. In addition, after six years of being in office, legislators enjoy lifelong health and retirement benefits.
State legislatures that operate on a part-time schedule, such as Texas, which pays its legislators a whopping $7,500 per year, and New Mexico, whose legislators receive no annual salary, accomplish relatively the same amount of work with fewer meetings. Legislators in a part-time system maximize their productivity while in session so they receive the same payment for less time spent on the job.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Michael Smith
posted 4/19/08 @ 2:49 AM EST
We're dealing with this same problem in Massachusetts. We have a total of 200 state legislators, and they are full-time.
Paulette Loe
posted 6/06/08 @ 5:02 PM EST
I whole-heartedly agree with Mr. Evers.
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