'We reversed it': Michigan redistricting commission nixes 7% raise – Detroit News

The Michigan Independent Redistricting Commission voted Thursday to reverse a 7% raise its 13 commissioners had approved a month prior.After deadlocking earlier this month when a motion was made to reconsider, the commission voted 12-1 Thursday to kill the raise.”We decided it wasn’t a wise decision to have gone up 7%,” non-affiliated Commissioner Steven Lett said in a press conference on Zoom after the vote. “So we reversed it.”Democratic commissioner Brittni Kellom opposed the move.The commission in December passed three new maps that will decide the state’s political future in congressional, state House and state Senate races.More: Michigan redistricting panel wraps adoption of state House, Senate, congressional mapsThe commission has been sued for the maps, thus far unsuccessfully. The raise, coming two months after the maps were approved, was controversial considering the commission faced a $1.2 million shortfall. Some Republican lawmakers also said they were unlikely to approve more funding for the commission to cover the raises.More: Redistricting commission gives itself 7% pay increases despite $1.2M shortfallOn March 10, Michigan’s redistricting commissioners stood by the 7% pay increases, rejecting a motion to reconsider the increase after a public backlash. The commission had approved a “cost of living adjustment” that would increase their annual salaries from $55,000…
Read More