Instead of waiting for Gov. Jennifer Granholm's executive order to cut the budget, House Speaker Rick Johnson did it himself.

"We made these cuts in anticipation of cuts we'll have to make throughout the year," Johnson spokesman Matt Resch said. "We'd have to cut the legislature's budget after the executive order. We didn't want to wait that long."

Johnson hopes the early cuts inspire others to prepare for cuts before they're officially handed down, Resch said.

House Republicans, who have a 62-47 majority, will see their office allowance drop by $6,000 - from $102,500 to $96,500 a year. The House GOP only began receiving $102,500 for their office earlier this year after Johnson approved a $5,000 increase.

Resch said the extra $5,000 to office allowances didn't increase the House's budget.

"We moved money around," he said. "Our net budget never increased."

Although Tuesday's cuts are a step in the right direction, Resch said the Legislature will have to prepare for future cuts as well.

"No cuts are ever easy," he said.

State senators on both sides of the aisle will see their budgets slashed by an average of $5,666. Democrats have smaller budget allowances for staff because they are allowed fewer aides than their GOP counterparts, said Bill Nowling, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming.

Despite the cuts, Sikkema and Senate Minority Leader Bob Emerson, D-Flint, both said they don't expect any staff to be laid off.

Resch said he doesn't know whether the House will have to fire workers to meet its budget cuts.

Sikkema said lawmakers will have to make even deeper cuts in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The state is facing a deficit of up to $2 billion if current spending levels continue.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.