Michigan Budget: The Shift Hits the Fan

Governor Snyder's budget proposal is a tax shift burdening the poor, seniors and children to benefit corporations. 1) Eliminate the Earned Income Tax Credit. 2) Reduce K-12 funding by $499-$700 per pupil, which will force some marginal school districts into a position prime for appointment of a financial manager. 3) Replace MBT with a 6 percent corporate tax. 4) Tax public and private pensions at 4.25 percent. (Problematic - Michigan constitution prohibits public pensions from being reduced.) The lowest income families in Michigan will see their taxes raised 10 times the wealthiest 1 percent. We need to do better than this. The Republican agenda is in full play: it's not about jobs, it's not about the economy. It's about reducing women's access to healthcare, union busting, eliminating democratic process, and blaming the middle class, seniors and the poor for the economy. None of what's in the Michigan budget will create jobs. Nothing. AARP is organizing a rally to protest Snyder's budget proposal on Tuesday, March 15 in Lansing at the State Capitol from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please join us.

NFL and Government vs. People

NFL got a flag on their play to build a war chest with broadcast contracts in another example of self-serving corporate behavior at the expense of the people who actually do the work. A federal judge ruled the NFL acted illegally, securing loot to tide them over if the players were locked out. State and federal government is doing the same stuff, giving tax cuts, escape hatches and subsidies to corporations and the fabulously well-to-do, while taking the handouts from the paychecks of workers. Where's the judge who will stop governors and Congress from doing the same? Any other gamechangers out there?

Michigan Budget: Ditto

The newbie governors have gotten their IT set-ups, made State of the State speeches and are now hunkered down with budget planning. Governor Snyder has a $1.8 billion budget shortfall to reverse, a double digit real unemployment rate, and businesses and people leaving Michigan. Rumors of tax cuts for business gather applause at meetings. Getting rid of the Michigan Business Tax may be a good idea, but it will subtract $1.5 to $2.2 billion from the plus side, and thus add to the deficit. Closing special interest tax credits may be good, but will we say good-bye to the film industry? Snyder will look at the education system as well. We'll see. Watch for the budget Feb. 17. Watch for The Dashboard. Snyder was Gov. Engler's MI Economic Development Corp. appointee in 1999. How'd Snyder do with that? Engler closed Lafayette Clinic, other institutions and put hundreds of mentally ill people on the street. Engler ended licensing of day care centers, inspections of nursing homes, he knifed education in the back. We'll see if Snyder does better. Snyder wants to cut from the prison system, too. Are we headed for privatizing prisons? The Governor wants to remove antiquated laws and regulations - thinks we don't need to put price stickers on products. WalMart's idea; only two States do it, but there are other consumer protections in that law that are useful. Not to WalMart, but to consumers. Meanwhile, Lt. Guv. Calley is being his usual quotable self.