Tag: surcharge

Alas, the problems they shelved when they beat feat out of town are still waiting to greet them upon their return.  The state continues to bleed $125 million in red ink every month, unemployment jumped from 12 percent to 12.6 percent while they were out of town and Democrats across the country continue to harp on how groovy "stimulus spending" is for local economies.

All the more interesting, in that sense, that Andy Dillon's obstruction of the long-since transferred, bipartisan Senate Bill 1, a Michigan economic stimulus bill that pumps $1.235 billion into the local economy over the next three fiscal years has today reached DAY 81.

That's nearly twelve full weeks after an overwhelmingly bi-partisan majority of the Michigan State Senate (one-third of the Democrats joined every Republican) came together to approve a spending-free stimulus plan that returns $1.235 billion to local businesses... Michigan companies creating Michigan jobs.

Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Representative Mark Jansen repeals the much-hated, job-killing MBT surcharge, not only stimulating the economy with a massive infusion of desperately needed capital, but sending an even more desperately needed signal to the business community that Michigan is finally ready to make some tough decisions and to step out of the economic dark ages.

The Democrat controlled House and Speaker Andy Dillon specifically, haven't bothered to even give the bill a hearing.

Eighty-one days.   And the question isn't how soon will they give common sense, bipartisan legislation a hearing and a vote... it remains, how long will they continue to ignore the devastating economic reality gripping their own constituents?

See, this week the President suggested that good teachers be rewarded with merit pay.  Perform well, produce results above and beyond by-the-book expectations in your classroom and you get a bonus.  And just because he's a nice, fair, equitable guy (allegedly) he won't even cut the salary of teachers who might be better served in another career field.

No downside.  All upside.  Free money for exceptional performers.  

Alas, the Michigan Education Association directly and publicly opposes President Obama, saying they aren't interested unless everyone gets free money.

And I don't know if you've noticed but there really isn't that much extra money floating around these days.  In fact, quite the opposite is true.  

According to the Detroit News, state revenues have plummeted since a series of disastrous tax hikes literally altered consumer behavior here in Michigan.  

Read on...

Err, well, OK, not really.  But he did utter the words "taxes," "cuts," "pay" and "benefits."  So that's something.

Yesterday the Michigan House of Representatives got to work for the first time in the new legislative session and the Speaker of the House was reelected by his caucus members to a fresh two year term.  Because the last two years were so successful, I guess.  So what does the guy do?  He finds the cameras and microphones and tells the Capitol press corp that House Democrats are interested in cutting lawmaker pay, except they're constitutionally prohibited (true), want to cut lawmaker benefits, except they're constitutionally prohibited (not true) and that he wants to cut taxes except, you got it, he's constitutionally prohibited (again, a load of malarchy).

His tent pole of his fancy little tax cut proposal is creating a ballot proposal to ask Michigan voters to decide whether or not they want to approve a tax cut.  Senate Republicans called bologna sandwiches immediately, reminding the man that the legislature exists for a reason, and Dillon's response was to call for.... Yes, call for a repeal of the Democrats' hated, job killing MBT surcharge.  One teensy-tiny little problem with that... as the Ivory Tower reminds us, he already had a chance to do that this time last month!

Dillon also called for repeal of the 22% surcharge on the state's business tax -- a repeal approved by the Republican-controlled Senate in 2008 but not by the Democratic-controlled House.

Nice of him to call for the repeal today, though.  I'll take a gander at Michigan Votes and the new bills being advanced through the chamber by the end of the week but something tells me that repeal won't see a vote on the floor of the overwhelmingly Democratic House anytime soon.

Jobs will continue to die, business will continue to close their doors and families will continue to flee the state in search of brighter pastures.  Some folks, though, will find a job down around Battle Creek later this summer.  Only job requirement, qualms about swindling the last dollar out of desperate moms and dads in the most desperate times are strictly prohibited.  The Associated Press reports on a hiring spree about to begin at Michigan's newest casino.  1,500 new jobs running tables, working food service, opening doors and welcoming bleeding lemmings into a circle of sharks.  (What?  No, I'm not a fan of casinos... how could you tell?)  

But hey, 1,500 new jobs, right?  That's bound to create quite a stir.

Casino officials say they expect a lot of competition for the jobs, with a projected 20,000 applications. It's set to open late this summer.

20,000 applications for 1,500 jobs.  That's more than ten applications expected for every job.  Maybe if Dillon had done his job in December instead of TALKING about doing his job in January we'd be in better shape than we are.  Alas.

Good luck to everyone down in Battle Creek as they vie for just one of those "jobs of tomorrow."