Minnesota lawmakers announce back-pay cuts, donations

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - One of the 18 Minnesota House members who got full retroactive pay after the state's government shutdown is now planning to take a cut in a future paycheck, while two others say they already donated the money without publicizing their charity.

     

The House payroll office said late Monday that Rep. Peggy Scott, a Republican from Andover, asked for a salary reduction amounting to about $1,600 for the 20-day shutdown.

 

Rep. Joe Atkins, a Democrat from Inver Grove Heights, said Tuesday that he had already donated his shutdown pay to a high school scholarship before Monday's list was released.

 

Richfield Democratic Rep. Linda Slocum said Tuesday she had previously donated her shutdown pay to a domestic abuse program.

 

Scott, Atkins and Slocum were among the lawmakers who initially declined to be paid during the shutdown but later accepted full back pay.