Well, would you look at that?

 

Remember that saying about not learning the lessons of history…correctly.

 

Well, here we go again.

 

 

*Update: A link to Sen. Kowall’s WJR interview has been added.

As if the trouncing by Michigan Taxpayers didn’t deliver the message clearly enough, very much like a lead pipe applied directly and repeatedly to the side of ones skull, the Michigan Senate is at it again.

This time in a “closed door meeting” later today (apparently not important enough to post it where people can know about it…why look at all of the posts made after the 30th?), Senate Republicans Leadership will twist arms, threaten and cajole solicit suggestions from members, discuss the merits of each suggestion submitted and achieve a consensus on what path they should take to find the “needed” funding for the sad excuse which pass for Michigan Roads.

So far, one trial balloon being floated involves a 15-cent jump in the per gallon tax on gasoline here in Michigan. The tax would be indexed to inflation, essentially guaranteeing a perpetual hike Michigan Motorists pay at the pump.

The second half of this involves a drop in Michigan’s Income Tax rate from 4.25% down to 3.9%. Given the fact that this is the rate that IT SHOULD BE AT, were it not for the actions of “Republican” Governor Rick Snyder several years ago, I’m honestly surprised that they even had the audacity to put that one in there.

Michigan State Senator Mike Kowall – RINO (White Lake Township) was on Frank Beckman earlier today extolling the benefits of this proposal to WJR Listeners (sorry, no podcast to link to at this time podcast has now been uploaded).

Short version of Kowall’s sales pitch: Acknowledged Michigan Taxpayers didn’t like Proposal 1. Cited unnamed “polls” conducted after the obliteration of Prop 1 claiming that voters would actually be in favor of a plan in which all monies collected would go towards “roads and transportation”.

Didn’t mention if the firm conducting the poll had the words “The”, ‘Center”, “for”, “Michigan” anywhere in their name.

Always be careful WHENEVER you hear a politician use both of the words “Roads” and “Transportation” in the same sentence. “Transportation” can be used by them to siphon away money towards superfluous things like trains, buses and shopping mall construction. Challenge any politician who uses those two terms together.

After that, Beckman opened up the phone lines to get listener feedback.

Let’s just say that the phone lines were not burning up from all of the callers supporting this cockamamie idea.

But, I’ll be fair here.

If you really want to review ideas, then why not implement the ideas from Sen. Patrick Colbeck? He presented it pretty straightforward. And with no shell games.

Or how about the idea from your colleague from down the hall? Rep. Peter Lucido, very passionately I may add, spelled out his plan for funding from the ridiculous amount of interest generated from the MCCA (while not touching the principle). Tim Skubick and Kyle Melinn were unable to get in any zingers or gaffs from him, even after several attempts.

There was even some ideas kicked around from the Good People here at RM.

Oh, gosh darn it! There aren’t any tax hikes included anywhere in these proposals.

You would need to stick within the revenue sources that you currently have.

No wonder they’re going back the the drawing board.

So, who is up for a Part Time Michigan Legislature?