Michigan State Police union looking at ways to soften blow of governor’s budget cuts

LANSING — Staring down the barrel of an executive order from the governor that will eliminate 100 Michigan State Police trooper positions from state payrolls, the Michigan State Police Trooper Association said it is exploring other cost-cutting measures which could prevent the job reductions.

“We are exploring some things with … the Deferred Retirement Option Plan,” MSPTA President Michael Moorman said in an interview Tuesday afternoon. “There are a couple of things that would capture enough cost savings to keep these guys from being laid off.”

Moorman declined to specify any further, saying he was still waiting for final information.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s executive order, issued Tuesday morning, calls for an elimination of nearly $4.7 million from the At-Post Troopers budget. This budget, Moorman said, pays for everything that allows a trooper to do their job, including salaries, benefits, ammunition, fuel for the cars, computers and more. The direct impact in jobs is $1.7 million, which accounts for 100 troopers.

Moorman said under the contract between the state and the MSPTA, lay offs are based on seniority, class ranking and more. As a result, the order would eliminate 81 troopers who just completed the first trooper school in four years, and an additional 19 troopers from the 2004 graduating class.

The 81 troopers who are the most at risk are just now completing the final phases of training to become self sufficient operators on the road.

“They are just about to become real assets,” Moorman said.

Moorman was still waiting for figures from the Michigan State Police operations center as to where those 81 troopers are currently placed, but he did note that the Brighton post stands to lose three troopers, while the Monroe post faces the loss of six troopers.

In all, Moorman said, MSPTA represents 1068 troops and sergeants. The loss of 100 troopers, he said, will mean the Michigan State Police will be operating with the lowest number in “approximately 35 years.”

Moorman said some of the issues with the budget constraints in the department have to do with the transfer of crime lab responsibilities from the Detroit Crime Lab, which was shuttered last year, to the MSP. He said that transfer is unfunded.

“We start robbing Peter to pay Paul,” he said, referring to paying for the Detroit crime lab cases, which he called an “insurmountable number.” “Peter doesn’t have any more money and Paul is still stealing.”

In 2007, MSPTA was able to prevent 29 trooper firings when it donated $400,000 to the state. Moorman said the group is not in a situation to do that again.

“No, that is absolutely not an option this time,” he said. “I don’t have that type of resources on hand.”

He said repeating the 2007 Hail Mary would be much more expensive than just the $1.7 million to rescue troopers from this round of lay offs, noting that next year’s budget is “more dismal.”

“The scenario is different,” he said.

FOR FULL COVERAGE on the specifics of today’s budget cuts, see the following stories:

» With revenues down 21%, state officials announce $304 million in cuts

» Actual budget cut is $304 million, not $349 million

» Senate Appropriations Committee moves Executive Order 2009-22 out of committee for floor vote

» DEQ to weather today’s cuts without reducing services

» Arts groups brace for cuts

» Michigan State Police union looking at ways to soften blow of governor’s budget cuts