Elected Republicans in a Michigan county who gave themselves bonuses of $65,000 with federal Covid relief aid plan to return the money after days of criticism, .
Shiawassee County commissioners act after the prosecutor calls the payments illegal, The Argus-Press reports Sunday (paywalled). An Associated Press summary says:
The Michigan Constitution bars additional compensation for elected officials “after services had already been rendered,” prosecutor Scott Koerner said Friday.
The commissioners, all Republicans, voted on July 15 to award themselves [a total of] $65,000 as part of a plan to give $557,000 to 250 county employees as "hazard pay" for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. ...
County Board Chairman Jeremy Root got $25,000. Two more commissioners received $10,000 each, while four others received $5,000 each. The vote was 6-0 with one commissioner absent.
The commissioners awarded money to other elected officials, including the prosecutor, the sheriff and the county clerk, all Republicans. They, too, said they would give it back.
Commissioner Marlene Webster earlier returned her $5,000.
Critics of the self-payments include U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, a Democrat whose district is on the edge of Shiawassee. "American Rescue Plan dollars were intended to help frontline workers and families impacted by the pandemic, not elected officials," he said.
A lawsuit was filed Thursday to try to rescind some of the bonuses.
Shiawassee County is northwest of Metro Detroit, between Flint and Lansing.
