Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on April 5, 2007

Click here to view bill details.

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE OUT OF YOUR MIND? I CAN'T AFFORD THE TAX ON MY PLATE NOW! I HAVE AN AUTO THAT ISN'T WORTH A THOUSAND DOLLARS AND PAY A TAX FOR A CAR THAT COAT 12,000 NEW! I DON'T THINK THIS IS FAIR! NOW YOU WANT TO PUT THE SCREWS TO THE POOR EVEN MORE!! ANYONE SUPPORTING THIS UNFAIR TAX, SHOULD BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE!

It is apparent that our representatives in Lansing have lost their minds! In the past 3 weeks the main voice from Lansing has said RAISE TAXES! Drive more people and business out of the state! No realistic cost cuts or containment is proposed. It is obvious our legislature believes that "charity begins at home" because they sure take care of themselves first. Paid insurance for life after 6 years. That is shameful and outrageous!

Adding more taxes is not the way to get more business in Michigan. Ask yourself why you would want to stay or move to Michigan with these laws you are looking to add. I just heard today that the state is ready to layoff 29 State police. We need the police in the state more then the elected officals & their staff. If you want to save money, cut the elected officals in half & see what effect that would have on the citizens of Michigan. I know I wouldn't miss you GeneB

This is one of the most outrageous proposals I've ever heard. Lansing can't expect the taxpayers to pay any more to bail out the budget. Lansing needs to wake up and reralize that Michigan's citizens are hurting..more and more jobs are being lost every day. I'm willing to pay my fair share (and I do) but I'm also concerned that we're never going to attract new businesses, residents, etc., if we continue going down this path.

With your kind of hair brained thinking, another supporting raising the gas tax another 9 cents per gallon and the Gov. wanting to place a 2% tax on "services", you so called "legislators" are fueling the fires under a pot for a BIG MICHIGAN TEA PARTY. People have had it with rising taxes and NO JOBS!!! Did you miss that Michigan has the HIGHEST rate of foreclosed homes in the nation?!?!? Just where in HELL do you think people are going to get the money to fund these tax increases you dream up??? The residents of Michigan ARE NOT bottomless pits of money. You're short of money??? Then suck it up like the rest of us. We don't have a Sugar Daddy to turn to and we're not your's.

You have got to be out of your fricken minds. Where did the moron come from that introduced this legislation? We have some of the highest fee structures for vehicles in the nation, and they want to solve their budget woes on the backs of michigan drivers? When are our legislators going to get it? We don't need the idiotic increases, nor the governor and her minions threatening to cut troopers, shut down state government, blah blah blah. Instead of the stupidity of amputating, as in the case of closing the prisons, why not look to trim the fat? Instead of cutting troopers, or restricting miles for troopers, gee, let's see, why don't we, umm, get rid of some of the leased state police cars that sit at the posts? Most posts have enough cars for one for each road trooper. I wonder how much that costs? We hear about how the governor is going to release prisoners early, change sentencing guidelines to keep prisoners in county jails instead of prison; I have an idea, how about we look to shere we can cut corrections from within? Let's see, we are going to close a prison, but not cut supervisory staff? Yeah, that makes sense. These people are morons and should be recalled along with the idiot we have for a governor.

to increase the state diesel fuel tax from 19 cents per gallon to 28 cents per gallon and to increase the annual vehicle registration tax (license plate fee) by 50 percent. He needs to get a second job instead of taking the money from the hard working people of Michigan.Ohh there’s not that many jobs left in Michigan. Tax on Hoon-Yung.I am sure the people that elected you can afford it. I hope. But then again Hoon-Yung probably drives a sate owned vehicle.

We all need to start e-mailing these tax and spend idiots. Overwhelm them with e-mails! E-mail for Hoon-Yung Hopgood: hoon-yunghopgood@house.mi.gov Can you imagine the cost to businesses with semi's? Yet this fool wants to tax per the purchase cost of a vehicle. Let's run more businesses out of the state. Besides our youth running to other states to look for employment, maybe these tax and spenders are trying to force the retiree's to look for a more tax friendly state?

I say cut whatever you have to who cares we imprison more people in this country than any other nation in the world.I say cut the state police and also cut the fat in Lansing too.I say cut everything in government that can possibly be cut and do whatever has to be done to keep from raising taxes and make our state known as the common sense state.Make it so the people who are in prison are the ones who truly deserve prison,state police only prusue people who truly deserve to be prusued and put the law enforcement burden back on local communities where it belongs local control is the only way to go anyway.The thing is big government is never the answer to solving the economic or social problems facing our state or nation it should be put in the hands of local people in there communities.The schools would be a thousands times better and cheaper to run if the state would quit ear marking money it gives our school's.The only thing the state should be worried about is that kids meet test scores other than that it should be a hands off policy and let local communties control their education system.The federal,state,and local government have way more than enough money if they'd just get together and learn to use it wisely.NO MORE TAXES NEEDED.

I currently own a 20 year old car that cost $40,000 when new. Its' current market value is $6,000 - $7,000. As I am retired, I cannot afford to replace the vehicle. I am currently paying $149 per year for registration. This legislation would raise that fee to $238 which imposes a financial burden disproportionate to the value of the car. Its obvious this State has severe financial problems that all of you don't seem to be able to solve! If this your solution, you all need to duck for cover when you come up for re-election!

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself > into prosperity is like > a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift > himself up by the handle. > --- Winston Churchill

Hey Hoon....maybe the citizens of Michigan should start utilizing Rickshaws. This way we wouldn't have to plate them and we could create a lot of jobs hiring people to pull us around the state. I think you should be the first one to apply for the job!

YOUR A**, WE HAVE NOW FOUR MORE YEARS OF TAX AND SPEND. the governor sucked you people right in. TOLD YOU SO !!! from 50 % increase for licence plates to 9 cents a gallon gas and diesel tax. and that is not all. albet that when these taxes get approved the house and senate give themselves a RAISE !!! so all those that voted for jenny, keep your mouth shut. you got what you deserve. the 42% that voted for devos, sound off, let them know how STUPID they were...EVERYDAY !!!!

Well all of you people who identify with the Democrats, are you happy now? Your party is in control. There is blame on both sides of the aisle but the idiocy and lunacy is dominant on the dems side!

for the SAVING DEMOCRATS to come along and SAVE US from the situation we find ourselves in. won't some democrat come and SAVE US?????? NO, THEY WON'T. THEY LIED. THE STUPID PEOPLE BELIEVED THEM. glad i WASN'T ONE OF THEM.

THE BEST IDEA yet I think you are on to something.Hoon-Yung Hopgood cart would be government subsidized. Hopgood transport, sounds good.

That's great! Respond by being a racist. With respect to solving problems and encouraging dialogue, that is much more effective. Why don't more people do that? (Please note heavy sarcasm.)

Guess I don't see the racism. Must of missed that part. You obviously were sucked in and voted for Aunt Jenny!

...by this? This legislature continues to raise all manner of taxes and fees. As a lifelong Michigan resident, it will sadden me to leave the state upon retirement, but I can't afford to stay.

They don't call Michigan "The Great Take State" for nothin' - last one to leave the state, please turn out the light.

It's amazing to me. I came from Illinois to go to school here, and in IL they have a flat fee of, last I knew, $75 for each car. How is it that their government is fine with the flat fee but Michigan can't do it?

 Is anyone surprised that the Democrats in the Michigan House want to raise taxes?  You voted for them.  Shame on you!

My next question is, do we pay for the MI House Reps plates or do they?

 Excuse me Rep. Hopgood but this is bad for MI.   You should be ashamed of yourself !  Why do folks such as yourself run for office when the best you can do is sit around thinking of ways to tax the people of this great state.  One would think you would have something to offer those you are suppose to represent besides throwing our hard earned money after it! 

 Tis sad that you are ignorant of the word of God that clearly states you are accountable to Almighty God how you rule.  For your own sake at least do you not have anything to offer us than to add the burdens on our already way to many burdens? ( ref. Luke 11: 46) I'd resign if I were you!   Most do not understand the position you are to fill as servants not Queens and kings to be served and we pay you way to high salary's to do it!   Its only through the study of God's word where we discover these truths.  Before I  made Jesus my savior and Lord I thought as mom I was the boss only to discover I was a servant who was to raise up these children.  We need to get back to the basics of life.  Tis the only way to the truth!  I pray God would open you eyes to see His way His truth!~~Joni

For those of our representatives that would support this type of legislation, I've run out of words.  The answer is not more taxes.  How many people have to say the same thing?  You cannot tax Michigan out of this situation. Fundamental changes need to be made.  Do I think we have the leadership to do that, NO.  As much as everyone would like the status quo to remain, it cannot and it will not. Something has to give and it will.  It may take 30 or 35 years but it will catch up to all of us. MORE TAXES IS NOT THE ANSWER.

 

Rep. Opsommer, having reserved the right to explain his protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement:

“Mr. Speaker and members of the House:

While I agree that how we fund our transportation infrastructure is critically important, this is part of a package of bills that have been brought forth this evening that have been substituted and/or amended in a manner that has not been shared with the House as a whole. In some cases, it has become evident after the fact that they are being substituted in a manner so that they actually have the opposite of the initial purpose of the bill. As such, I can not vote on a bill without knowing its true content, and I wish to thank Rep. Vagnozzi for pointing out that the majority of members are being asked to vote on these bills without knowing what they accomplish.

Before we can consider raising gas taxes, registration fees, or other hardships onto Michigan’s citizens it is important that we first ensure that the equivalent of all gas tax monies be spent on road funding, and that the road funding money we generate is not being diverted for other purposes. For that reason I am in support of my bills that would create the Priority Now! Transportation fund, HB 6520, HB 6521, and HJR NNN to establish a baseline for how much transportation money we currently should be using.”