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Michigan State Police, Michigan, 2007-2011
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The Michigan State Police is composed of state troopers. According to the Michigan Act 59 of 1935, the legislature sets the salary for the State Police Director.[1]
In the spring of 2007, 29 state troopers were pink-slipped. Their jobs were saved only after their union, the Michigan State Police Troopers Association, donated $400,000 to the state to pay for their salaries.[2]
Salaries
According to the department, the starting salary for a Trooper 10 position is $41,000. The maximum salary, with 20 years of service, is $62,000. Troopers receive longevity pay after six years of service, which is a lump sum provided once a year based on service time. During training, recruits earn a bi-weekly salary of $1,500.[3]
Benefits
Troopers receive health, dental, vision and life insurance from the state. They earn 13 vacation days and 13 sick days in a calendar year, at a rate of four hours every two weeks. Troopers can receive additional vacation days based on service time. All state employees also receive 12 paid holidays per year. Troopers are eligible for retirement after 25 years of service. Their retirement rate is 60% of the average of their last two years of salary, which for this purpose also includes overtime, vacation time and compensatory pay.[3]
Salary records project
In 2011, Sunshine Review chose 152 local governments as the focus of research on public employee salaries. The editors of Sunshine Review selected eight states with relevant political contexts (listed alphabetically):
1. California
2. Florida
3. Illinois
4. Michigan
5. New Jersey
6. Pennsylvania
7. Texas
8. Wisconsin
Within these states, the editors of Sunshine Review focused on the most populous cities, counties and school districts, as well as the emergency services entities within these governments. The purpose of this selection method was to develop articles on governments affecting the most citizens.
The salary information garnered from these states were a combination of existing online resources and state Freedom of Information Act requests sent out to the governments.
A study published by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia said the city of Philadelphia faced challenges owing to the cost of public employee pensions.[4] The report claimed the amount that Philadelphia paid to pension recipients limited the city’s ability to use its budget effectively.
The report said there were more individuals receiving pension benefits—33,907 claimants in 2006—than workers in the city—28,701.[4] The authors recommended three steps towards addressing the problem of high costs in pensions: improved data collection, expanded transparency initiatives, and reductions to the city's overall budget.[4]
Salary schedules can be published as ranges, not as specific compensation figures, and may leave out compensation received through health and retirement benefits, as well as benefits such as commuter allowances and cell phone reimbursements. This project aimed to close the gap and provide a more accurate picture of public employee salaries for the sake of public education and transparency.
See also
External links
- Why Does Michigan State Police Provide Incentives for State Police to Work Beyond Retirement Age While Laying Off Most Recently Hired Troopers?, May 26, 2009
- Michigan State Police Salary, eHow.com
- State Budget Solutions -- Michigan
Footnotes
- ↑ Michigan State Police, Act 59 of 1935
- ↑ "State employees: Under siege? Cut, cut and cut again, state workers feel stretched, anxious and uncertain," July 15, 2007
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Michigan State Police Salary and Benefits
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 '’Philadelphia’s Quiet Crisis: The Rising Cost of Employee Benefits, Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, January 23, 2008
