LANSING - Senator Glenn S. Anderson voted last week to pass a negative supplemental budget bill that includes a 4% General Fund reduction for the judicial and legislative branches, including cutting nearly $1 million from the Senate budget. The bill also includes a $500,000 reduction in the Legislative Auditor General budget, and will save the state a total of $6,873,400, much needed savings as the state works to reconcile a significant budget deficit.

“Michigan families and industries are certainly feeling the pain of this economic crisis, and the members of the Legislature need to reduce their own budgets too,” said Sen. Anderson. “I voted to cut legislators’ salaries and reduce legislative budgets, and I will continue to focus on protecting the needs of Michigan citizens in this difficult time.”

Senator Anderson has taken numerous steps as a member of the Senate to cut government spending and increase transparency from within and ensure that the Senate is sharing in the financial sacrifices that Michigan’s families and businesses are already being forced to endure. Earlier this year he voted to cut legislators’ salaries by 10%. He is one of only eight Senators that would be affected by this change in 2011.

Sen. Anderson has strongly supported Senate Resolution 15, which would mandate that all Senate caucus and member offices, regardless of party, should have the same overall compensation and expense levels. Currently, individual Senate Republican office budgets are almost $100,000 more than those of Senate Democrats. Last Thursday, Sen. Anderson called for action on a substitute to SR 15 that would take the almost $3 million that the Senate Majority currently has in excess of the Minority and put it in the Department of State Police to help counteract any possible trooper layoffs. As proposed, Governor Granholm’s executive order that was approved last week includes the layoff of 100 Michigan State Police troopers, which is expected to save the state $1.7 million.

Anderson said, "Public safety is more important to Michigan than preserving this antiquated perk for the majority party members and it's time to change this."

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