LANSING – A constitutional amendment offered by Rep. Mark Meadows (D-East Lansing) that would cut legislative pay, and deduct more for absences, as well as abolish term limits, will become the 16th joint resolution in the Legislature that could act as a counter for the Reform Michigan Government Now! ballot initiative, which seeks not only to deal with the legislative branch but also the judicial and executive branches.

Meadows announced his sponsorship of the constitutional amendment the same week House Minority Leader Craig DeRoche (R-Novi) lent his support to a call for a constitutional amendment that is also the preference of Governor Jennifer Granholm.

But before the governmental reform drive submitted signatures to get on the ballot earlier this week, there were already a smattering of constitutional amendments introduced by Democrats and Republicans, ranging from term limits and legislative pay, to making the Legislature unicameral, having an independent redistricting commission and reducing the number of legislators (HJR C , HJR H , HJR M , HJR O , HJR P , HJR R , HJR T , HJR BB , HJR DD , HJR HH , HJR SS , SJR A , SJR B , SJR D and SJR 0 ).

In a release, Meadows said his proposal mirrors the argument voters were presented in supporting the ballot drive.

“The recent Reform Michigan Government Now proposal was presented to voters as a means to reduce legislative pay. Of course, none of its other provisions were mentioned when people were asked to sign the petitions. The amendment I filed will permit the voters to reduce legislative pay and benefits without throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” he said.

The proposal reduces legislative salaries from just under $80,000 to $60,000 and is reduced further if a lawmaker misses session days. It also ends lifetime health care benefits for lawmakers, which is something the House passed in 2007.

As for the other part of the proposal, which deals with term limits, Meadows said, “The elimination of term limits will prevent a repetition of the gridlock and dysfunction that characterized the legislative process last year. My hope for these amendments is to remove some of the roadblocks to progress so we can turn the state around, create jobs, and get Michigan back on the right track.”

Dianne Byrum, spokesperson for the ballot initiative, said while it’s in the Legislature’s purview to get the two-thirds votes required to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot, Reform Michigan Government Now! is focused on its own efforts to do the same thing.

“Taxpayers and regular people want government to change and be more responsive and accountable to them and the Reform Michigan Government Now! proposal gives them the necessary change,” she said.

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