Tag: legislature (page 4)

I'd probably get a kick out of some of this nonsense, if it wasn't so thoroughly dangerous.

OK, so its not all dangerous.  One of the House Dem's freshmen members, for instance, isn't going to do any real overt damage but that doesn't make his latest campaign fundraising gimmick any less ridiculous.  Apparently the man doesn't own a TV or a radio and he's missed all of the Governor's "Pure Michigan" tourism ads.  

Instead of hosting his next fundraiser on the lakeshore or at a great local restaurant or ski resort, Representative Jim Slezak is packing up his donors and asking them to shell out hundreds of dollars to go on a cruise with him.  Not in a classic car down Woodward Avenue in Detroit, mind you... on a cruise line.  To a private island.  In the Bahamas.  

All aboard!

I couldn't make this up.  Read on...

A scant day or so from commenting on his desire to cut taxes, an opportunity presents itself.

Continued below the fold...

Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon played the role of Mr. Roarke yesterday at the Capital in Lansing. Dillon welcomed 46 newly sworn-in state lawmakers, who began their first legislative day in traditional fashion - lobbyist receptions, buffets of food, pomp, and ceremony. Dillon welcomed these new lawmakers with a speech promising a House agenda focused on reform; including tax cuts, politician salary cuts, and new state programs - all with no loss in government tax revenues. Basically, Speaker Dillon welcomed the new lawmakers to Fantasy Island.

The alchemy that Dillon hopes the House can use to maintain state spending, add new programs and still cut taxes is called, "restructuring". By "restructuring" the tax burden, Dillon thinks he can find a magic formula that makes everyone happy by reshuffling the tax code without actually cutting taxes or cutting spending. Dillon believes that somewhere, out there, is an absolute perfect way of keeping people happy while making them pay high taxes. Maybe people don't like high sales taxes? OK. Dillon is willing to lower them as long as people pay higher income taxes. Don't like that? OK, how about higher business taxes instead? No? Ok, he'll cut business taxes, but hike fees by an equivalent amount.