Michigan’s Legislative Leaders Respond to Part-Time Legislature Proposal
“This is one of the only jobs that people don’t value experience.”
This week on Mackinac Island, Lt. Gov, Brian Calley launched an effort to make Michigan’s Legislature a part-time job.
It’s an idea that’s been thrown around for quite a while. But until recently, hasn’t been taken very seriously.
Under Calley’s plan, pay for legislators would be cut in half, while their retiree healthcare and pension benefits would be eliminated.
Michigan legislative leaders Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint), Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof (R-West Olive) and House Minority Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) speak with Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson about Calley’s proposal.
“This is one of the only jobs that people don’t value experience,” says Meekhof.
“If there was a real serious conversation about the policy of that, I’d be pleased to have it,” says Singh. “To me, it was all a political gimmick.” Ananich agrees.
“I think gimmicks should be treated as such. This is not a serious policy conversation (Calley) is trying to have,” says Ananich. “And I think it’s a bad idea.”
State House Speaker Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt) was invited to join his colleagues for this discussion, but his office declined.
Click on the audio player above to hear the full conversation.
