LANSING – State Representative Mary Valentine (D-Norton Shores) today threw her support behind a plan to introduce legislation to end the practice of taxpayer-financed cars for the use of Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges and their staffers.
"Our taxpayers are sacrificing plenty in these tough economic times," Valentine said. "We shouldn't be forcing them to sacrifice more, just so that our judges and their staffers can be provided with free vehicles. It's time we ended this free ride and ensure that our taxpayer dollars are spent wisely in the midst of this unprecedented budget crisis."
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. Valentine 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.
Supreme Court and appellate court judges in neighboring states such as Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana do not get taxpayer-funded vehicles. Not even federal judges, appointed for life, are entitled to use a publicly financed car.
"Michigan's citizens are not responsible for providing transportation for the state's judges," Valentine said. "Our citizens are struggling to make ends meet, and requiring them to pay for personal vehicles for our already highly paid judges is an unfair practice that must end."