Republican legislative leaders have canceled budget talks with Gov. Rick Snyder's administration due to their dispute with the governor over switching new teachers away from a pension into a 401(k) retirement plan. Snyder opposes closing the pension system to newly hired school employees.
The move to cancel a Friday meeting between top lawmakers and Snyder's budget director could put at risk a quick resolution of the next budget, which Snyder and the GOP-led Legislature like to finish in early June. Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof and House Speaker Tom Leonard want to see progress on talks over the teacher retirement system before resuming budget negotiations.
