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Should Michigan officials lose pay for missed budget deadlines? House plan fails

While House and Senate lawmakers say they’re supportive of penalties for not meeting state budget deadlines, a push to withhold pay for Michigan governor and lawmakers for doing so failed in the Republican-led House Thursday. Photo credit: Simon Schuster/Bridge Michigan.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan��(bridgemi.com), a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. To get regular coverage from Bridge Michigan, sign up for a free Bridge Michigan newsletter ��().” 

by Jordyn Hermani, Bridge Michigan

LANSING — As a potential government shutdown looms, Michigan lawmakers are debating whether to temporarily strip their own pay — or that of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — if they fail to meet budget deadlines.

The state House on Thursday considered, but ultimately rejected, a resolution asking voters to amend the Michigan Constitution to suspend salaries for the governor and legislators if there is not a budget in place by July 1.

That the statutory deadline by which lawmakers are supposed to pass a state budget, though there no punishment for failing to meet it. Failure to pass a budget by Oct. 1 would trigger a state government shutdown.

Thursday proposal would not have affected officials’ pay this year — they already missed the July 1 deadline — but legislative leaders from both parties have said pay deductions are an idea worth exploring as they continue to point fingers at each other for stalled negotiations.

Senate Democratic Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, told reporters Wednesday that there was “a strong willingness to consider” the idea of suspending lawmaker pay in the event of a government shutdown this fall.

“I think there strong support for the concept … we’re more than happy to consider that,” she said.

Brinks did not specifically address whether she’d also support suspending pay for missing the July 1 deadline in future years.

A majority of state House members on Thursday voted for a plan to do so, but the joint resolution required two-thirds support to advance and failed in a 70-30 vote amid opposition from several Democrats. House Republicans who proposed the joint resolution were short four votes.

“I think the people of Michigan would be very frustrated to know that these politicians want to keep their pay and not get a budget done,” House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, told reporters following session.

Yet, even if the resolution did pass the House, it was unlikely to jump-start this year.

Officials already missed the July 1 deadline written into state law, and even if the resolution was adopted, it would need voter approval and would not have appeared on the ballot until 2026.

After the failed vote, House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri, D-Canton, said he had an issue with punishing rank-and-file members by stripping their pay for the outcome of budget negotiations that are ultimately led by legislative leaders and the governor.

“If there is a large portion of the body that obstructing the budget from getting done, then yeah, that how accountability should happen,” Puri said. “But it shouldn’t happen on the whims of one person not doing his job and so then all of the institution has to suffer.”

The July 1 budget deadline was put into place in 2019 during former Gov. Rick Snyder administration in an effort to align with when the fiscal year begins for Michigan schools. But there are no penalties for missing it — beyond complaints from school officials now .

Sponsoring Rep. Jamie Thompson, R-Brownstown Township, said in a floor speech that the point of her resolution was to finally give teeth to the July 1 deadline written into law, stating: “If there a delay, there no pay.”

House Republicans, who control the chamber, approved a earlier this year but have not yet introduced a completed state budget.

Senate Democrats, meanwhile, passed in May but would need to make to balance it after officials lowered projected tax revenues.

Whitmer — who released her in February — has also repeatedly stressed that she does not think the Michigan budget will be done without somehow finding an extra $3 billion to fix state roads.

Both and have released road funding plans. Senate Democrats have not offered a counterproposal but argued Wednesday that more plans are not needed, just .

State Rep. Dylan Wegela, D-Garden City, told reporters ahead of Thursday pay suspension vote that he agreed with the idea of withholding pay for failing to pass a state budget in spirit. But he said lawmakers should be fined based on a percentage of their net worth — not lose their salary entirely — to make the punishment more equitable across all lawmakers.

Michigan legislators generally earn $71,685 a year, but those in leadership positions earn more. Hall, the House Speaker, earns $95,985. Puri, the Democratic Minority Leader, makes $91,485.

“Withholding my pay, as someone who a teacher and working class person, is not the same as for someone who a millionaire,” Wegela said before ultimately voting against the joint resolution.

This first appeared on and is republished here under a .

by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.