State House Democrats pushing for government accountability plan

A group of Democrats in the Michigan House of Representatives submitted a package of government reform proposals on Monday that they say will reduce lobbyist influence, cut costs and increase transparency for elected officials. They also called on the Republican-controlled Senate to pass the 10% pay cut for elected officials in the state that passed the House two weeks ago. According to a press release, this new package would do several things:

• End the revolving door between lawmakers and lobbying firms by prohibiting legislators from becoming lobbyists for two years after leaving office;

• Increase financial disclosure requirements to require candidates for elected office and state officials to submit personal financial statements and reports to the Bureau of Elections;

• Dock lawmakers’ pay each time that they miss a day of House session.

Incredibly, Michigan is one of only 3 states that do not currently require elected officials in state government to disclose their personal finances. Such disclosure is important for identifying potential conflicts of interest because legislators may well cast votes that have a major impact on businesses in which they have investments.

State Representative Kate Ebli (D-Monroe) said in introducing this bill, “If we truly want to restore the public’s trust in their government, we must shine a bright spotlight on our elected officials. The public has a right to know that when we cast a vote, it is in their best interest and not for personal financial gain. Making elected officials’ finances publicly available will help uncover any potential conflicts of interests and hold lawmakers accountable to the people they represent. Increasing transparency and disclosure will force politicians to focus on the issues that matter to Michigan families, like creating good-paying jobs and getting our economy back on track.”