Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on May 1, 2001, to authorize the Department of Treasury to negotiate a multi-state compact which would create a system for the collection of use taxes on the purchase of merchandise by Michigan citizens from sellers located outside the state. This would apply to purchases made over the Internet or from catalogs

The vote was 28 in favor, 8 opposed and 2 not voting

(Senate Roll Call 104 at Senate Journal 43)

Click here to view bill details.

I pulled down a copy of this bill, and I do not like what I see there. It appears that the legislators are willing to put our state tax policy at the whim of our neighbors -- for none of whom has any Michigan voter voted. A special committee is set up to coordinate with our neighbors, and then come back to tell the legislature how our laws must be changed to mesh with the others'. Particularly on taxation, I don't want anyone else telling our state what to do. If we do, there is no need for our legis- lature. I didn't see it, but this act opens the door to taxing internet sales (probably in the defi- nitions, but I didn't find it), taxing services, and aligning what we pay taxes on with the other states. Sorry, but while I go along with cooperation on many things, I don't see that putting all of us at the mercy of whatever our neighbors vote is a system that will help Michigan or its people.