Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on September 7, 2007, to authorize a $250 income tax exemption for disabled veterans. The bill was passed and sent to the Senate as a "vehicle" for a possible income tax hike, but without any actual rate increase included. This was done because bills must "lay over" in the other body for at least five days before being voted on, and if a tax increase is to be approved by Oct. 1 it is necessary to have a "vehicle" bill that has done so

The vote was 77 in favor, 26 opposed and 7 not voting

(House Roll Call 371 at House Journal 90)

Click here to view bill details.

Hollow out the private economy to prop up the unsustainable benefits enjoyed by a privileged class of state, school and municipal employees. We don't have to guess where this leads. Just look at the current condition of a once-great American city that is now a crumbling wreck, inhabited primarilly by a alienated remainder, with vampire-municipal and school establishments sucking the blood from the few productive citizens and businesses who haven't left yet. The Detroitification of Michigan has already begun, and these tax hikes will only accelerate it.

We are in the mess we are in now primarily because of all the tax cuts that happened since 1994.

how are we in a bad situation because of tax cuts that gave every other state in the union an economic boost? we are having a ONE STATE DEPRESSION. 49 states were helped by the tax cuts. michigan resisted the trend, i don't think it was the tax cuts that caused our problems. try again.

great because the businesses there were once great. the tax and spend legislatures, state, county and city have forced the businesses, including the most profitable, the 'BIG THREE' out. this shows that liberal tax policies DON'T WORK. this shows that liberal social programs forced down business' throats DON'T WORK. this shows that liberal people spungeng off of the profits of big businesses DON'T WORK. will the liberals learn? NO.

The ONLY WAY OUT of this economic mess is to increase taxes and cut spending. Pass the bill and get on with it. We can always cut the tax rate later, when we are out of this mess.

spending that got us into this mess in the first place? does that EVER enter into the thought process of the american liberal? OF COURSE NOT. how about we cut the spending on programs which do no good, help no one, serve no useful purpose, and only cost the taxpayers money? there are many places that can be cut.

not because the tax rates have been cut since 1994, but because the auto industry has declined since 1994. You cannot expect the same level of state services in the current economic environment. Budget cuts must be made.

Did someone get dropped on their head when they were a baby? Do you really think that the only way to get out of Lansing's fiasco is to tax those some more who are still lucky enough to have a job? Did you ever ask Lansing to show you the actual spending and pork-barreling, and shift and shaft that they do so that they can throw money into the General Fund and have a hay-day throwing our tax dollars at whatever benefits their interests? To the pro-taxer: Why don't they just throw all of us into a commune and then they can grab everyone's paycheck as they go through the gate. It's a shame the socialist mindset prevails!

When will will learn that our socialist leaning liberal democrats will never be happy until they control all our spending and tell us how we need the nanny government. Only a person who lives off the dole would think we are not taxed enough!

We have the second highest paid legislature in the country. We have 28 more legislators than California with about 1/3 the population. They average 8 staff members per legislator. They have me convinced they are incompetent! I concur with the statement about the "Detroitification" of a once proud state.

cut what you need for a year or two and watch this place start booming.

A True Socialist. Take from those evil working folks and prop up the banana government. "We can always cut the tax rate later" Let me know how that works out for you. If you think these people will ever lose their hunger for OUR MONEY then you should seek help.

If you want the level of services we have now, then we need to pay for them. It is time to balance the budget through a combination of spending cuts, reforms and revenue increases.

if by services you mean things like that bastion of efficiency the secretary of state. if it means less gestapo hiding behind trees writing tickets. if it means less government control over everything we do. if it means stopping the ever expanding nannyism. if it means less fees, taxes, licenseing fees, fines, etc.

I might agree with cutting some services. For instance, I don't think we need beat cops to cover the "click it or ticket" gig. If we can pay fewer cops, then that would save money. Which other programs would you think could be cut?

level of 'services' we have now? i don't feel served by police officers who stop every car on the streets past closing time, to 'fish' for drunk drivers. violating the rights of the people. i don't feel served by local gun boards who register weapons in order to confiscate them later. i don't feel served by having my money taken from me by force to be misspent on programs that only 'serve' a few, and cost everyone dearly. i don't feel served by having my choices limited by a few people, and my rights to decide how and where my children are educated taken away. i don't feel served by a government accustomed to unlimited funds refusing to live within it's new means. i want a level of service that recognizes that every dollar that is taken in taxes is a dollar that was earned by a taxpayer, not given freely. i want a level of service that recognizes that giving 'handouts' is the job of the churches, not the state. i want a level of service that realizes that the citizens pay the bills, not the politicians, and that the true power lies in the hands of the citizens, not the politicians. the less i have to pay the government to do, the more i can pay to have done myself.

keep up the good work

you delete the stupid clickit crap lets get rid of all "public service" ads. They are inane, costly, and accomplish nothing except to keep some government lackey in a job.

The one thing that I don't see clearly mentioned here is that a large portion of our $1.7B budget crisis is nearly $1.0B in additional spending for programs supported by Democrats. We ARE in a crisis, but not NEARLY as bad as our governor would make us believe. If the cuts were made to those programs who are receiving INCREASES in this year's budget, we could easily balance the budget with a mild increase in taxes. If true government reform legislation were passed, we could have ourselves a surplus!!!

MORE INFO. In reading the FY2006 budget and proposed FY2007 budget. In Education alone, the governor requested additional spending of $360M+ each year, while failing to address a broken systems that spends more money funding pensions for teachers and administrators who didn't put in the required time on the job than we spend on kids in the classroom!! That represents nearly 40% of our current "budget crisis" right there. FIX THE PROBLEM!!! DON'T JUST CONTINUE TO THROW MONEY AT IT!!!

Rep. Sheen, 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: We had only a few minutes to read a 46 page bill. I do not vote on bills I can not read, especially considering HB 5194was the previous bill which had been on the board for 67 hours, which would have raised income tax from 3.9% to 4.6%."

I cannot believe the stupitidy of this potential tax increase. Our Governor stating she will veto any budget extension without a huge tax increase is cutting to the heart of it. If the Republicans relent and give up a tax increase, they have lost all leverage in pushing for reforming the way Lansing spends our money. Do not bend to the pressure, NO NEW TAXES. Any legislator that votes for an increase should be recalled, just like in 1983. Republicans, take note.

You are obviously out for only yourself and have a deficit in knowing what's going on. You represent true regressive mentality.

WOW! You don't have a clue what you are talking about. What you propose is setting the state back 60 years. It's the economy, and the unwise tax giveaways and givebacks from Engler that continually burns us. His lack of insight and forethought is whats to blame here. Actually no...it's the knuckleheads that voted him back repeatedly.

YOU LIVE IN YOUR OWN LITTLE WORLD DON'T YOU? DO YOU GET OUT MUCH? THIS IS THE TRUE ESSENCE OF "EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF" MENTALITY. YOU HAVE A DANGEROUS IDEOLOGY.

It means the start of anarchy and societal degradation. Move to Yukon and build a log cabin and go shoot beaver and bear. What a caustic perspective you exude!

Oh yes...it'll be booming alright! I can hear the sounds of gun fire and the sound of all out pandemonium.

IT'S THE NEO-CON MONEY IS MY GOD PEOPLE THAT DESERVE TO HAVE THIS STATE FALL FLAT ON IT'S POSTERIOR. PERHAPS THEN YOU'LL ATTAIN A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW REGRESSIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE YOUR IDEALS ARE. WE MUST HAVE REVENUE NOW. WE CAN ORGANIZE A LEGISLATIVE ABORTION LATER!

And which programs are those? Let me guess, the ones that don't effect you or you potentially might benefit from. Typical SELFISH CONservmyselfative!

they have been made by the billions.....

WOW! What right wing propaganda sheet did you read that in?

represent the PROGRESSIVE (read that LIBERAL) point of view. you cannot do without raising taxes, as cutting spending is not in your creed. if this state were making all the billions of dollars in taxes that the businesses that have already left were paying, then we wouldn't need a tax increase, or program cuts. as thousands of businesses HAVE left, and more are leaving every day, we DO need to cut taxes, and cut spending to keep what few businesses that are left in the state. what's going to happen when, (NOT IF) the big three decide to move out? what are you going to do then? triple taxes on whever is left?

or flint, or any other big city, and you will hear the sound of gunfire and pandemonium. they vote to raise taxes on the rich so that they can get their social programs.

But the rest of us adults can do just fine without a state nanny. You Say..."It means the start of anarchy and societal degradation" What kind of barbarian are you? If we lose the state cops/revenue agents all you libs/socialists are going to go bonkers? Maybe it's because most libs are just kids that refuse to grow up. How about you guys try adulthood for awhile. I'm sick of the perpetual kiddie class wanting more government because they are either too stupid, too lazy or just plain ignorant to do things for themselves. It must be a pitiful existence being a spoiled 8 year old in an adults body.

Fall

I agree, RECALL THEM starting with Granholm. Better yet, streamline the system so we the people can say, "You're Fired".

What the Governor and the Democrats are asking us to swallow equates to a couple creating a home budget and including an extra $200 a week for "stuff we want" and expecting the in-laws to pay for it!! A balanced budget should be based 1st on, what do we absolutely HAVE to spend. Increasing spending on ANYTHING when our economy is as bad as it is, makes no sense whatsoever, unless we decrease spending elsewhere. Bottom line is the Governor submitted an UNREALISTIC budget and we all get the play the role of the in-laws. Matt

Michigan had a booming economy and the people were free to live their lives to a much greated extent. Is that what you meant?

Who really has a dangerous mentality. You who think that the state has a better understanding of what is right for each of us than we do ourselves. You scare the hell out of me. If you are so concerned about your fellow man, why don't you give anything to charity (just a guess on my part, but I'd bet on it).