Minn. lawmakers announce back-pay cuts, donations

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.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)