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    Who are the NERD fund donors Mr Snyder?

    Raise the curtain.

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    Taxing Us Into Prosperity | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 hidden)
    Facts don't lie. (none / 0) (#3)
    by LookingforReagan on Thu Oct 01, 2009 at 03:21:16 PM EST
    According to the BLS Michigan's unemployment rate in 2000 under John Engler was 3.2%. One of the lowest in the nation.
    Taxes were low and there was money in the bank (rainy day fund). Michigan was one of the most prosperous states in the Union.
    Today, taxes are rampant. Unemployment the highest of the fifty (not 57) states and we are losing population at an alarming rate. Puerto Rico now does better in GDP then Michigan does. All of these things have happened since an Ultra Liberal Governor was elected. While I don't discount the contribution by certain RINO's in the Legislature there can be no denying that the days of blaming Engler for Granholms problems are over and have been for years.
    My complaint is why do we need 56,000 state employees to serve a population estimated at 8.3 million. In 1985 this state had a population of 11 million and the state government employed 32,000 people. That was when MDOT plowed the major highways and was responsible for road and bridge inspection and maintenance just as an example. The needs of the citizens were met. Why then do we need so many employees to conduct the business of millions of fewer residents? Can't we find more areas of fat to cut? How about the Surgeon Generals Office? Do we really need to spend millions of dollars funding a government office that really doesn't serve a purpose? We don't need somebody to tell us we smoke to much, drink to much, eat to much and don't exercise. That we are fat and out of shape. First of all we know that. And secondly it is not Governments business. How about cutting the office and staff of the first spouse. What will we save there? The idea of raising taxes has resulted in the following.
    When Granholm decided to raise the cigarette and beer taxes in order to help close the bugit gap the amount of revenue fell. The reason was simple. Tax behavior and you get less of it. And of course our competitor states of Ohio and Indiana make sure their taxes for both tobacco and beer are lower then Michigan. The reult is that Michigan loses revenue on 12 million cartons of cigarettes that are purchased in other states each year. The amount for beer is conservatively estimated at 14 million cases. That results in the loss of over 200 million in tax revenue to this state. Money that ends up in Indiana or Ohio. I would rather cut taxes on those commodities and recoup some of the revenue, say 70% then lose all of it. But for some strange reason doing what makes sense hasn't been real popular in Lansing for the last seven years. I have spoken to Sen. Cassis's office as well as the Governor and State Rep Kate Seagal. So far I am still waiting for the answers to the question of why not lower taxes and cut state staffing to a reasonable level. It worked for JFK, Reagan and Engler. So what is the problem? It works and will again. There has to be another reason for the stonewalling on adopting a blueprint for Michigan that has worked in the past. What is the reason? What is the real agenda? Who benefits the most?
    As far as public safety. It is simple. We need to adopt an amendment to the State Constitution that prohibits the cutting of police, fire and EMS services as way to blackmail the citizens into agreeing to higher taxes. The amendment would force the state, county and other local governments to make cuts in other areas before public safety can be cut in times of economic downturns. We the people have the right to demand this and I am sure we can get it done.

    Taxing Us Into Prosperity | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 hidden)
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