Lost in all the buzz over tepid Republican support for Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget in the House and Senate this past week was a futile effort to end one of the most hated provisions in the entire state bureaucracy – retiree health benefits for legislators.
Rep. Jon Switalski, a Warren Democrat, offered an amendment during debate on the tax portion of the Synder budget that would have eliminated the retiree health care perk. But the GOP leadership determined there was insufficient support on the House floor and moved on. Switalski was not allowed to speak and no vote was held.
Some may call this a cynical gimmick by a Democrat, others may view it as cagey politics. Either way Switalski does have a point when he says that a controversial budget that demands “shared sacrifice” from every corner of the state retains what has to be one of the cushiest benefits in American politics.
As a reminder, lawmakers receive full health care coverage from the state starting at age 55. What makes this compensation particularly egregious is that legislators qualify after six years of service and, due to term limits, most members of the Legislature never put in more than 10-12 years in office.
So a long career that ends in retirement – as it exists in the real world — does not exist for elected officials toiling at the Capitol.
In Lansing, Switalski is the lawmaker who earlier this year called on his colleagues to set an example by ending retiree health care benefits and imposing a 20 percent pay cut for all legislators. So far, that proposal has gone nowhere.
One more reminder: This non-vote came as the House voted to increase taxes on retirees, poor working families, some homeowners, and – based on congressional Republicans’ definition of “increase” — all those who pay state income tax.

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