Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on October 6, 2009, to authorize a delinquent tax payment amnesty period of up to 60 days and ending Dec. 31, 2009, during which all criminal and civil penalties would be waived for having in the past failed to file or pay income or other state tax, or for making an excessive claim for a refund. To get the waiver a taxpayer would have to make full payment of the tax and interest due, either in a lump sum or through an installment plan. If back taxes are not paid during this period, a 25 percent penalty would be tacked on to the balance

The vote was 24 in favor, 12 opposed and 1 not voting

(Senate Roll Call 528 at Senate Journal 0)

Click here to view bill details.

Senator Whitmer's statement, in which Senators Clark-Coleman, Scott and Brater concurred, is as follows:

I voted "no" on that last bill because this is just yet another one-time fix. Michigan has a structural budget deficit

that this Legislature for ten years, has avoided making the long-term tough decisions to put our ship right. This is

simply a get-out-of-dodge move. I am not going to support it. I am tired of these one-time fixes.

I just read the suggested legislation requiring the State of Michigan to pay for all hearing aids.  ALL hearing aids, not just for the poor.  If that passes, the State is going to need all the taxes and penalties it can gather.

But why hire/pay an outside agency?  Surely this is one case, much like the Feds taking over student loans, where the State can save/make lots of money by "cutting out the middle man."