LANSING – State Representatives Steve Bieda (D-Warren) and Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens) announced they are co-sponsoring legislation to end the practice of taxpayer-financed cars for the use of Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges and their staffers.
"Michigan taxpayers should not be footing the bill for judges to have cars for their personal errands, shopping trips and vacations," Bieda said. "We are in the midst of an unprecedented budget crisis, and our state cannot afford to give judges and their staff members a free ride."
Bieda noted that judges are paid enough to afford to buy their own cars. According to a report in the April 8 Detroit Free Press, the state's seven Supreme Court judges are each paid $164,610 per year. The state's 28 judges on the Court of Appeals are each paid $151,441. Ending this practice would save the state $400,000 annually, according to the Free Press.
"We face a budget shortfall of historic proportions, and Lansing should be tightening its belt – not relying on taxpayer dollars to support lavish perks," Miller said. "Taxpayer dollars must be spent wisely. In the Michigan House of Representatives, we recently cut our budget by $3 million. Before we ask residents to make sacrifices, we must be willing to sacrifice first."
Miller said that while other high-ranking government officials are allowed the use of state cars, they are only allowed to use their cars for business and commuting.
"Residents are already struggling to make ends meet, and it's not right that their taxes are paying for judges to ride in comfort," Miller said. "It's time to end this unfair practice."
Bieda pointed out that taxpayer-funded vehicles are not guaranteed for top judges elsewhere. Supreme Court and appellate court judges in neighboring states such as Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana do not get them. Not even federal judges, appointed for life, are entitled to use a publicly financed car.