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(Ann Arbor) -- The Green Party
of Michigan says cutting the state government deficit should begin with
a repeal of the exorbitant raise legislators accepted for themselves and
other top officials in 2001.
With a budget hundreds of millions of dollars in deficit, and many of
their constituents facing hard times, legislators have a "fiscal
and moral responsibility" to put repeal of the big boost in pay,
benefits, and pensions "among the first steps to be taken,"
declared GPMI state chair Marc Reichardt.
GPMI national representative David Spitzley agreed. "Real wages are
currently below mid-1970s levels. Yet, while average workers were making
less money, an unprecedented recommendation of a 36% pay raise became an
offer Michigan legislators couldn't -- or wouldn't --
refuse."
Elliott Smith, running for the State Senate in the 18th District, says
one of his first actions when elected would be "to introduce and
actively push for the repeal of the recent pay hike. It is
incomprehensible and fiscally irresponsible for the legislators of this
state to seek to cut state-funded programs while raking in this huge
bonanza of pay and benefits."
Smith adds, "I fully support the several House and Senate joint
resolutions that address the way governmental officials achieve their
raises."
Ray Ziarno, candidate for the Green nomination for Secretary of State,
is also calling on legislators to repeal the pay hike -- and refund the
raises they've received, unless they've already donated the money to
non-profit causes.
Party Reinforces Stand from Last Year
After discussion of the issue at GPMI's recent statewide membership
meeting, the party's State Central Committee reached full and unanimous
consensus this week on a resolution calling for the repeal of the
raises.
The resolution encourages GPMI candidates and members "and all
persons of sound judgment to join in a drive to implement this position
as official policy and legislation."
Early in 2001, the Legislature received a biennial report from the State
Officers Compensation Commission (SOCC) which called for 36% raises for
legislators, and smaller but still double-digit hikes for other top
elected and administrative officers.
The state House voted 100-6 against the raise package, but 2/3 votes in
both chambers are required to reject the SOCC's recommendations. State
Senate majority leader Dan DeGrow refused to let the matter come up for
a vote, so the raises took effect automatically.
Various proposals have been offered to reform the system. However, none
have yet made it through the Legislature.
Carolyn Dulai, Green Party candidate for State Senate in a March 2001
special election, proposed during her campaign that pay raises for top
officials be tied in with other state employees' raises.
Also at that time, GPMI went on record as opposing the "deliberate
non-action of the Michigan Senate [which] allowed exorbitant pay
raises to go into effect without a public vote, at a time when many
average citizens are in much harder economic circumstances."
"This is counter to the Green values of social justice and
grassroots democracy," reads a resolution adopted at the Green
meeting in Kalamazoo February 10, 2001. The party supported changing the
system "to force both houses to vote, and approve of raises, before
they can come into effect."
The party also noted other reforms that had been proposed,
including:
* delaying raises until after an intervening election
* opening up the operations of SOCC to greater public scrutiny, or
abolishing SOCC altogether
* limiting the size of raises proposed by SOCC to the amount of increase
in the consumer price index
"We welcome discussion of such reforms, and call for passage of the
best proposals to enhance the social justice and grassroots democracy of
this system."
"The representatives we elect must be accountable for and
responsible in the way they spend our money," said Reichardt.
"And it's not fair or democratic when the state's top officials put
a higher priority on quietly maneuvering themselves into whopping raises
in pay, benefits, and pensions than on meeting the needs of the people
of Michigan in tough times."
Dulai agrees. "These people work for us -- but they're giving
themselves their own raises, just like self-employed people do. And out
of our money, too. Wouldn't you like to be able to do that?"
Green Party of Michigan
548 S. Main Street * Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-663-3555
info@migreens.org
The Green Party of Michigan was formed in 1987 to address environmental
issues in Michigan politics. The party's state convention is scheduled
for August 3-4 in Lansing.
There are Greens organized in all 50 states and the District of
Columbia. The Green Party of the United States has been officially
recognized by the FEC as a national party.
Although each state organization sets its own goals and creates its own
structure, all US Greens agree on Ten Key Values:
Ecological Wisdom,
Grassroots Democracy,
Social Justice,
Non-Violence,
Sexual Equality,
Decentralization,
Community-Based Economics,
Future Focus,
Respect for Diversity, and
Personal and Global Responsibility.
If we can help you get news out to your audience better, please let us
know. Thank you for your time and attention.
Information attached for reference:
Resolution Passed by the State Central Committee of the Green Party of
Michigan -- May 25, 2002 Resolution on First Priorities in Reducing the
State Government Budget Deficit
==========================================
WHEREAS official estimates now put the state government's annual budget
deficit in the hundreds of millions of dollars; and WHEREAS, earlier in
this current legislative session, state legislators accepted an
exorbitant pay raise for themselves (with excessive raises for other top
elected and executive state officials) as per the biennial report of the
State Officers Compensation Commission.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Green Party of Michigan hereby resolves:
That, regardless of whatever other measures may be necessary to reduce
the state budget deficit without harm to social justice and grassroots
democracy, among the first steps to be taken should be the immediate
repeal of the SOCC-recommended pay raises for top state officers, and of
their impact on the benefits and pensions received by those
officers.
That the party will publicize this deficit-reduction policy position --
and encourages its candidates, its members, and all persons of
sound judgment to join in a drive to implement this position as official
policy and legislation.
Resolution Passed at the Statewide Membership Meeting of the Green Party
of Michigan -- February 10, 2001
favor House Joint Resolutions B & E, Senate Joint Resolution D
(government pay-raise issue):
A recent deliberate non-action of the Michigan Senate allowed exorbitant
pay raises to go into effect without a public vote, at a time when many
average citizens are in much harder economic circumstances. This is
counter to the Green values of social justice and grassroots democracy.
We support joint resolutions in the Michigan House and Senate (HJR B and
E, SJR D) to force both houses to vote, and approve of raises,
before they can come into effect. Some of the resolutions offer further
reforms to this system, including delaying raises until after an
intervening election, opening up the operations of the State Officers
Compensation Commission (SOCC) which produces these pay-raise proposals,
or abolishing the SOCC altogether. (We also note that there is likely to
be a wide range of proposals offered, requiring ongoing review of the
issues. One related proposal, HJR D, would limit the size of raises
proposed by the SOCC to the amount of increase in the consumer price
index.) We welcome discussion of such reforms, and call for passage of
the best proposals to enhance the social justice and grassroots
democracy of this system.
Contacts:
Marc Reichardt -- Chair, GPMI phone: 734-668-9628 treasurer@migreens.org
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