Rebutting Michigan's Anti-Tax Fringe Lunatics
The budget process in Michigan has been severely hampered by a cabal of anti-tax advocates (assisted by pro-business groups) who have created this myth that Michigan is somehow a high tax state, and that the solution to ALL of our economic woes is simply to lower taxes.
Worse, like the Bush Administration, they work zealously to conceal the reality of imposing tax cuts (which would mean deep cuts to popular social services, education, and first responders) - pretending instead that there are magical [nonexistent] treasure troves of "pork" in the state budget that can be eliminated without anyone having to suffer any consequences. These are the same cretins running around nationally protesting taxes with "tea parties" (ignoring the reality that their lack of representation in government comes not from tyrannical fiat, but from the fact that their looney arguments are completely unpersuasive which prevents them from obtaining a democratic majority).
It is all - of course - complete garbage.
The Detroit Free Press published a great rebuttal by Robert Kleine, the state treasurer:
It's fair: State seeks right balance
The Detroit Free Press | BY ROBERT J. KLEINE • April 9, 2009
"You may want to cover your ears. I am about to explode two dangerous myths.
• The first: Michigan is a high business tax state.
• The second: We can cut business taxes without replacing the revenue they generate.
Neither could be further from the truth. And both make it harder to create jobs and promote economic growth in our state. Those who argue our business taxes are high ignore the facts. When comparing how state tax laws affect economic performance, the nonpartisan Tax Foundation ranks Michigan 20th best in the country, ahead of most of our Midwestern neighbors." [More ...]
Worse, like the Bush Administration, they work zealously to conceal the reality of imposing tax cuts (which would mean deep cuts to popular social services, education, and first responders) - pretending instead that there are magical [nonexistent] treasure troves of "pork" in the state budget that can be eliminated without anyone having to suffer any consequences. These are the same cretins running around nationally protesting taxes with "tea parties" (ignoring the reality that their lack of representation in government comes not from tyrannical fiat, but from the fact that their looney arguments are completely unpersuasive which prevents them from obtaining a democratic majority).
It is all - of course - complete garbage.
The Detroit Free Press published a great rebuttal by Robert Kleine, the state treasurer:
It's fair: State seeks right balance
The Detroit Free Press | BY ROBERT J. KLEINE • April 9, 2009
"You may want to cover your ears. I am about to explode two dangerous myths.
• The first: Michigan is a high business tax state.
• The second: We can cut business taxes without replacing the revenue they generate.
Neither could be further from the truth. And both make it harder to create jobs and promote economic growth in our state. Those who argue our business taxes are high ignore the facts. When comparing how state tax laws affect economic performance, the nonpartisan Tax Foundation ranks Michigan 20th best in the country, ahead of most of our Midwestern neighbors." [More ...]