Tag Archive for Tis not 1 percentage point – it is a 16.7% Sales Tax Hike – 30% Registration Fee Hike – ultimately a 200% Tax Hike on Fuels

Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Opinion, Rent Seeking, Taxes

“Grand” Bargain the County Edition

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via WXYZ

bailouts“Fitch downgraded $203 million in building authority bonds, $186 million in limited general obligation bonds and $51 million in stadium refunding bonds. … jail boondoggle that wasted $130 million and counting.

Wayne County has a structural debt of $50 million and $40 million more is needed each year to bring its pension system back – the underfunding accounts for about 70 percent of the long-term debt of $2.9 billion.”

Hmmm… bond issues, huh?

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Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

Kids, This bus Doesn’t Move Until you all Buckle Your Seat Belts

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Of course, the title of this post is as fictitious as the propaganda below.

See that? Now it’s about children’s safety so, see Sec. 257.710e (2). Precious cargo, huh?

At least the $2B annual tax hikers stopped just short of “Or even the whole bridge” in this attempt to excite the emotions of easy preyed upon dimwits who might be gullible enough to buy into this contractor lobbied nonsense.
STOP-167Stop-100

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

Congratulations on the Reluctant Baby Steps

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Now that the Michigan Chamber of Commerce has bailed on Snyder and Calley two days ago, it becomes painfully obvious that somebody is sniffing at 2018 in the air.

Hinky_BillAttorney General Bill Schuette said Wednesday he opposes the Proposal 1 sales tax increase on the May 5 ballot, making him the latest Republican politician to buck Gov. Rick Snyder’s plan to raise $1.2 billion in new road funding.

Schuette told The Detroit News that the proposal’s $700 million in added taxes and spending on schools, municipalities and a tax break for low-income families are a bad policy prescription for fixing the state’s roads.

“On a policy basis, Prop 1 has a lot of potholes,” Schuette said in an interview. “There’s too much under the Christmas tree that goes beyond roads.”
….

Schuette would not say whether he would have supported a sales tax increase that dedicated new money only to roads and bridges.

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Cutesy catchphrase that impresses some staffers, which is all fine and dandy, however, when is AG Schuette going to start probing MDOT with the department he created? Pick a spot. Any spot.

Interesting too is how Ruth Johnson now keeps her yap shut about the registration fee hike and loss of deduction within Proposal 2015-1, huh?

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Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

Here Comes the BIG SCARE

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Boy, the desperation is getting thick within the Ineptocracy that is Lansing, and D.C.

The Federal Highway Trust Fund, which accounts for nearly one-third of the state’s transportation budget, made about $1 billion available to Michigan in 2013. That’s 8 percent less than five years earlier and 15 percent less when adjusted for inflation, according to figures compiled by The Associated Press.

AutoBailoutVisitSo, where the Hell were Senators Levin, and Stabenow? Why did they allow our state to flounder while their man Harry Reid, was in charge? $3 Trillion?

The funding that generally comes from federal gasoline and diesel taxes was up 20 percent over a decade but down 5 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars [happens when .FEDGOV prints money].

The AP analysis also shows that Michigan ranked seventh-lowest among states in per-capita federal transportation funding in 2013 and second-lowest in per-capita overall spending on highways, roads and bridges [why is that?]. Only Georgia spent less per capita.

The same problem that has left the Highway Trust Fund teetering with insolvency [snip]

Go figure. Can you imagine why the Highway Trust Fund is insolvent? Remember, there’s 535 of them all doing the same thing.

is vexing Michigan — people drive less and with more fuel-efficient vehicles while paying per-gallon gas taxes unchanged for two decades. For the last four years, Gov. Rick Snyder and lawmakers have had to divert money from the general fund [snip]

Call it what it is. The diversion or, *stolen* money is a replacement, and an additional tax mostly because a Granholm era boob running MDOT is unaccountable for infrastructure spending, and frivolous railroad schemes – more here – among other wasteful nomenclature frills. Seriously, MDOT has been a documented rogue agency since at least 2006 (yes, guess who?), which oddly enough has ample resources for making videos. Try doing that in the private sector and one would be out of business or, fired, and sued for criminal and/or civil damages.

to ensure the state receives its matching federal transportation money because traditional revenue sources — state fuel taxes and vehicle registration taxes — are lower or stagnant.

Registration taxes are drying up? Well, gee, go figure what happens when Lansing’s Republican Majority loots what isn’t theirs. Went after pensions when it wasn’t necessary? Instantly $10,000,000,000+ flew the coop. Broke the 2007, promise by raising the State Income Tax, which they applied to those pensions. Those two raids alone stole money from folks who have decided to put off vehicle purchases, especially, the retirees who got plundered by Snyder. Look, it ain’t the undischargable student loan debt-slave Millennials who have money. Hell, they can’t even figure out that when borrowing for higher education it effects tuition rates to rise (another cluster**** conversation for another time).

Back on-point.

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2015 MIGOP State Convention, Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Taxes

Yet, Granholm’s Kirk Steudle Hasn’t Been Fired nor Jailed

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The latest ongoing MDOT buffoonery from Auditor General, Doug Ringler.

dozer-money“Our review … identified 48 of 92 [52%] expired warranty projects that needed corrective action,” the report said. “As of June 30, 2014, 24 of the warranties had been expired for over one year without MDOT having addressed the corrective action.”

MDOT said it agrees with all six recommendations made by the auditor general and is taking action to improve its system of monitoring and enforcing warranties.

“By October 2015, MDOT, in working with the Department of Attorney General, will develop a procedure for non-responsive contractors that have been notified to perform warranty work,” the department said in part of its response to the audit.

But the auditor noted that similar issues were raised in an earlier audit, released in 2010, and at that time the department said it would “strengthen its procedures to assure the completion of inspections.”

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Hmmm, something to hide here, Mr. Steudle? And, the AG is involved? Can one say like placing a fox to watch the hen house? I can, as they all, the AG, the MDOT Director, and MSP Director, sit on the same committee endorsing Snyder’s Democrat wooed Proposal 2015-1 better known as the $2,000,000,000 16.7% Sales Tax Hike with double taxation for off road agricultural and recreational fuels, 30% registration fee increase, and loss of IRS deduction – among other handouts to buy votes.

Bonus? Just like clockwork, it’s Norm partying in Tampa Shinkle and Dan Pero’s wife Colleen to Snyder’s rescue (No, seriously!). How about it, Rule of Law Ruth? Nah, not so much as a peep.
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Shame on those who seldom follow the linked information here on RightMi.com, because we all are truly getting the government that’s deserved, and getting it good and hard.

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2015 MIGOP State Convention, Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Rent Seeking, Republicans, Taxes

Overloaded Your Asses, huh?

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Think that EITC part of the Proposal 2015-1 equation isn’t a fool’s errand? Look at what $9,400,000,000 gets us just to maintain floundering employment while buying poverty moocher’s votes.

“The goal should be to try to honor these agreements or, in the context that if there are changes, they’re mutually agreed to,” Snyder [Mr. Avalon, founding chair. Yes, that John Truscott] said in a Detroit News editorial board interview. “These are major job creators. They’ve helped bring us back economically [what Team Obama says] in the state and we shouldn’t overlook that fact.”

NerdandJohnSnyder said he wants to work with companies holding the business tax credits to “bring better visibility” and “transparency” [a Snyder priority. No, seriously.] to the tax credits, which will consume more than $500 million a year in general fund tax revenue until 2029. The final tax credits awarded under the Michigan Business Tax [thank Brian] don’t expire until 2031, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

The MEDC [Snyder’s Mini-Me] has asked companies to agree to redeem their credits in the year they were issued and give the state a three-year forecast on using tax credits to help governors and legislators budget for the subsidies.

But Snyder did not rule out pursuing legislation to put new rules in place for when the tax credits could be cashed in. [here, pull this finger.]

“I think the starting point should be what we can do in a mutually agreed-upon fashion,” Snyder said.

Mike Johnston, vice president of government affairs for the Michigan Manufacturers Association, said his members, which include Detroit’s three automakers [$3,000,000,000 yes, Ford too], are open to helping state officials know when they will seek tax refunds.

The games all these mother******* play with other people’s money is downright obscene.

We now return you to your regular Team R points its collective finger’s at Granholm programming…

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2015 MIGOP State Convention, Cronyism, Democrats, Elections, Humor in Michigan, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

Wanna see how Much Duct Tape $700M Buys?

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This much: “The greatest part of all this is that none of it is coming from the Left.”

einstein_simpleIt’s true. I mean, I completely agree with the cognitive dissonance tribe Among the Trees.

Isn’t it obvious that Rick “Vote Yes” Snyder didn’t buy The Lefts’ votes with $700 Million going to the MDP base, otherwise Lon Johnson would be squealing MCFA violation like a stuck pig just as he did over a few bucks on a stupid truck, yes?

Because, the Michigan Democratic Party cares only about fixing JUST the roads.

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2015 MIGOP State Convention, Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

MDOT: Does Governor Snyder Have a Cousin in Railroads too!?!?

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MDOT is a gift that keeps on giving fodder against a 16.7% sales tax hike scheme.

The State of Michigan is paying $1.1 million a year to lease 23 passenger rail cars it can’t use — and likely won’t use for at least another two years — as the taxpayer tab for the troubled project approaches $12 million and counting.

The 1950s and ’60s-era double-decker cars are sitting in a rail yard in Owosso, where they are expected to remain for the indefinite future.

The Michigan Department of Transportation started leasing the cars in 2010 for two commuter rail passenger services proposed between Detroit and Ann Arbor, and Howell and Ann Arbor.
….

Sen. Goeff Hansen, R-Hart, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, said he doesn’t want to say much until he has more information on the contract. The deal was signed during the administration of former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, but amended four times during the administration of Snyder, a Republican — each time to increase the contract’s maximum cost.

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Interesting, yes? Speaks volumes how the players on Team R continue to dare not speak out of turn about their beloved Party leader, yes?

What’s even more interesting is the owner, Louis P. Ferris, Jr., who has been networking with the Peoples Republic of Ann Arbor’s Socialist former mayor for the past decade.

P3 projects. Public funds. Private profit. Partnership to extort our money by force of government bureaucrats.

No? But of course, Mr. Transparent.

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Michigan, Opinion, Proposal 15-1, Taxes

Welcome to the Party

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This is why I appreciate money, and those who appreciate using it wisely as much as I do.

The ballot proposal would increase Michigan’s 6 percent sales tax [16.7%] to 7 percent as part of a complex plan to raise [registration fees 30% and double taxes on gas and diesel] $1.2 [$1.9] billion more annually for roads [and $410 million going to the IRS]. But the plan, hatched by Snyder and lawmakers last month, also earmarks $300 million for schools, $260 million for tax credits for the working poor [illegal aliens with up to four wives] and $95 million for municipal revenue sharing.

Mitchell said it’s the “grab bag” spending on items unrelated to road repairs that Snyder and Republican legislative leaders tacked on to get Democratic votes that motivates him to spend some of his own money trying to defeat the initiative.

“In order to repair our roads, we have to pay a $700 million toll to special interests — and that just astonishes me,” Mitchell said in an exclusive interview with The Detroit News. “I think it speaks for politics as usual. Special-interest lobbyists held our roads hostage and they got a $700 million toll.”

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Sorry, but, it’s unfortunate that Mr. Livengood still sees it necessary to disinform his readers, hence, the inclusion as was pointed out here on RightMi.com

OABTW, has anyone heard U.S. Rep. Moolenaar, opine on the Republican governor’s CPA shell game? No? Go figure.

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