Snyder, senior staff begin new jobs

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder says it's time to "really roll up our sleeves and get to work" as he starts the first week in his new job.

He met Monday morning with more than a dozen senior staff members.

Afterward, he was to meet separately with budget director John Nixon and then with Michael Finney, head of the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Snyder and many of his top staff members spent Sunday moving into their new offices.

The Republican governor plans to issue executive orders this week formalizing some of his organizational moves, such as splitting the departments of Natural Resources and Environmental
Quality.

He came to the meeting wearing his trademark look, a blue button-down shirt and no tie.

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Snyder says he still hasn't decided how much he'll take in salary as Michigan's new governor.

The independently wealthy Republican said Monday it will be less than the official rate of $159,300 set in 2009 after the State Officers Compensation Committee cut the salary of top elected officials and legislators by 10 percent.

Snyder took office Saturday.

He says he's still weighing how much he'll be paid and will announce the amount "at an appropriate time."

Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm voluntarily cut her $177,000 annual salary by 5 percent before the rate was reduced in 2009.