Things are moving hot and heavy right now at the Capitol and there is a MAJOR development.  Unfortunately, it's just one more illustration that Michigan Democrats are hell-bent (pardon my french) on strapping the burden of a monster sized tax hike on struggling Michigan families.

With the Governor pledging to veto the Senate's continuation budget and calling again and again for cuts, reforms and "increased revenues" Bishop went to her office and the Senate Dems with this:

A package of spending cuts and reforms in excess of $1 BILLION.

In exchange the Senate would allow a vote on an income tax hike to move the rate from 3.9% to 4.3%.  By contrast, the current tax-hike before the House (since Friday) would raise the rate to 4.6%.

That comes out to about a $660 million tax hike.

Cuts, reforms, tax hikes.  The three pieces the governor wanted.  And I don't need to tell anyone here how unpopular Bishop will be with a lot of folks for even allowing a vote on an income tax hike.  Point being, he made a HUGE offer at HUGE personal risk to give the governor what she's demanding, to "put Michigan first" and to work out a compromise.

Granholm's reaction? The Senate Dems?   NO THANKS.  They turned him down flat.  She is refusing to consider cuts and reforms anywhere in excess of $300 million and is demanding a massive income tax hike of $1.2 BILLION (again, the bill on the board without Democrat support since Friday) in addition to somewhere in the neighborhood of $300-$500 MILLION in the form of a sales tax on services.

Granholm and the Senate Dems turned down "additional revenues" because they just plain wouldn't raise our taxes enough.  Apparently she's angling for a government shutdown despite her rhetoric.

Looks like the Democrats will stop at nothing to put as many Michigan families as possible out of work.  

At least this will finally put to rest any remaining notion that Granholm, Schauer and their ilk are even semi-serious about changing the way government does business.  

Hold on to your wallets, ladies and gentlemen.  The Michigan Democrats are coming and they want everything you've got.