MichiganRadio

Eliminating Benefits For Future Michigan Lawmakers LANSING, MI (MPRN) -

The Michigan Senate approved the elimination of retirement health benefits for future lawmakers and state-elected officials.

Most legislators in Lansing are happy to save the state money by eliminating retirement health benefits for future lawmakers. Some Democrats in the Senate argued the elimination of retirement benefits should apply to current lawmakers as well. But Republican state Senator Bruce Patterson says eliminating the benefits for any legislators will hurt state government.

"Hello...What are we doing?" Patterson said with an exasperated Voice, "We're setting this state up for failure. We need to be attracting the best and the brightest, not some motley crew."

But to that Republican state Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop replied, "Bologna. You have people lining up for our job because of the honor of representing their community."

The Senate and the House have both overwhelmingly approved the measure to eliminate retirement benefits for future lawmakers. © Copyright 2012, MPRN