Reps. Wenke, Moss, Hoogendyk, Pastor, Walker, Booher, DeRoche, Agema, Green, Brandenburg and Palmer offered the following concurrent resolution:

            House Concurrent Resolution No. 18.

            A concurrent resolution to ask the Governor to require the approximately 53,000 state employees to forgo the scheduled pay increase as well to contribute more to the cost of their fringe benefits.

            Whereas, On December 15, 2004, the Civil Service Commission approved multi-year collective bargaining agreements with five state employee unions representing seven bargaining unions for fiscal years 2006, 2007, and 2008. The State Police Enlisted Units' collective bargaining agreement was authorized by the Civil Service Commission on October 3, 2006. On January 31, 2007, the commission approved a pay adjustment for Registered Nurses. On December 5, 2006, the Civil Service Commission approved a Fiscal Year 2008 pay adjustment for non-exclusively represented state classified employees. These adjustments are in line with the adjustments authorized for employees covered by collective bargaining agreements; and

            Whereas, The Governor's budget has failed to address the structural cost that we are obligated to pay for salary and benefits to public employees. Michigan has not been experiencing the same level of prosperity that it had in the past, and steps need to be taken to bring state expenditures in line with the present day level of our economy; and

            Whereas, Michigan's once lucrative auto industry is responsible for driving state compensation in Michigan to levels that can no longer be sustained by Michigan taxpayers. The private sector is rapidly making changes and adapting to Michigan's new economy, while state government has been making few changes; and

            Whereas, State employees have made concessions in the past, and in light of the current status of our economy, state employees need to make more concessions. The state should take actions to contain the high cost of government before increasing the burden on Michigan taxpayers. While some reforms have been made, state government employees should be asked to reduce their wages and to pay more for their benefits. We should create a benefit program for state employees comparable to the private sector; and

            Whereas, The cost summary of the Civil Service Commission's net additional pay adjusted for Fiscal Year 2008 is estimated to be $83,615,748 and with the state's share of FICA and the required retirement contributions, the overall impact of these increases is $109,913,838 now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That we ask the Governor to require the approximately 53,000 state employees to forgo the scheduled pay increase and to contribute more to the cost of their fringe benefits; and be it further

            Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor.