1. More money goes to government. Government hasn't earned it. We've had the fee increases. We've had "two penny Jenny" that was shot down eventually. We've had income tax increases, tax shifts, etc. Nothing changes. I'm not convinced this will either.

2. Part of the reason this doesn't convince me is that this whole thing is only 1/5 of the budget. 80% isn't touched here. What is needed is for the whole budget, including that "protected" due to feds and constitution (through amendment) to be opened up and gone through line by line as to what is needed and what isn't. After all of that is done responsibly, I could get on board a tax as a last resort.

4. Snowbirds. How many are going to leave the state as their primary residence, and take their disposable income with them due to the tax increase?

5. Pensions are often negotiated with in contracts. Part of the reason they are a factor is because of tax deferments. I take less money now, so I pay less taxes later. It's also easier for someone like me to get a new job, than it is for someone downsized with early retirement in their 50's and early 60's. Many of them didn't have a choice in retirement due to factory closings and etc. It's not easy for them to just go out and get another job either. Now many of them on fixed incomes are getting whacked by the government - the party that's supposed to be for less taxes.

5. While businesses deserve a tax cut, individuals shouldn't have to pay more to government. Are we for lower taxes and less government or not? I'm not interested in "net" tax cuts based on overall revenue amount. I'm interested in tax cuts by both businesses and individuals and more importantly right now, spending cuts - and not just in 20% of the budget.

Practically speaking, the prebate provision contained within the Fair Tax will negate any advantage after the new bureaucracy is created to administer and maintain the distribution of this new entitlement is implemented, but that's best saved for another discussion.

Individually speaking, the pension tax isn't offset by any reduction in any of the other taxes we pay.

And I haven't even begun to go into Gov Snyder's plan to keep the income tax rate at the higher level, instead of lowering it back to 3.9% where it belongs.

Betsy DeVos admonished Republicans back in Nov '03 when Gov. Granholm wanted to do the same thing.