GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Even though the Michigan House rejected a resolution this week that would have withheld lawmakers' pay in the future for not passing a state budget on time, House Speaker Matt Hall says the idea could be resurrected.
Hall spoke to WOOD Radio News by phone Friday to discuss the resolution that was defeated Thursday calling for the legislators' pay to be suspended.
"Yeah, it got shot down. I really thought it was important that the politicians have some skin in the game when they're not getting a budget done on time. I mean it's ridiculous," Hall said.
However, he does believe that voters would support a proposal to withhold lawmakers' pay, if it were to eventually get placed on a statewide ballot. Hall said the legislature's self-imposed July 1 statutory deadline for passing a state budget has "no teeth," meaning there is no enforcement mechanisms or penalty tied to it.
"And withholding the politicians' pay (would give) teeth to it, and it would ensure a budget gets done by July 1," Hall said.
He was asked how the July 1 statutory deadline to pass general appropriation bills differs from the October 1 deadline, which marks the start of the state's new fiscal year.
"September 30th is actually when the government would shut down," Hall said. "We should get a budget done well before that, and that's why there is an earlier statutory deadline."
A government shutdown would result if the state budget were not passed by Oct. 1. That would result in the suspension of nonessential services and operations. Key government services like public safety, emergency response and healthcare would continue.
School districts are impacted by the ongoing budget stalemate, because many districts need to be able to confirm final funding levels. That could create uncertainty about free meals and other pay.
Hall told WOOD Radio that, although the Michigan House defeated the resolution to suspend lawmakers' pay if a state budget is not passed by July 1 in future years, it could go before the voters in the future.
"It'll be interesting to see if others try to take up this cause and get this on the ballot. Because I think the voters would approve this overwhelmingly. They want the politicians to be doing their job and getting a budget done, not on vacation," Hall said.
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