Democrats, John Cherry Trying To Make Case For Higher Taxes In Michigan
This is jaw dropping. Via Jeff Cranson @ MLive.com (emphasis added):
Are Michigan lawmakers even capable of making the changes necessary to save the state?
Probably not, says Lt. Gov. John Cherry, Democratic front-runner for governor in 2010, reported the Detroit News.
Cherry’s observation came a day after release of a sweeping study by the Pew Center on the States that concluded Michigan’s state government ranks only behind Arizona and Rhode Island as most likely to follow California over a financial cliff.
Michigan suffers because of chronic deficits fed in part by generous tax exemptions to businesses and retirees and no tax on services, the report says. People 65 and older are the only segment of Michigan’s population that’s growing.
“Generous tax exemptions”… Who’s money is it in the first place? Why is it generous for a business or individual to keep what they earn rather than have the state confiscate earnings?
The story continues:
Cherry’s comments this morning echoed others who have lost confidence in the Legislature, where term limits have left potential leaders focused more on their next life than solving any problems.
“I’m not convinced the Legislature is capable of dealing with it,” Cherry told MIRS, answering a question about whether legislators could achieve tax reform.
Cherry’s remarks came two days after Gov. Jennifer Granholm said a ballot initiative may the best way to get more revenue for schools. One possibility, pushed by Democratic state Rep. Mark Meadows of East Lansing, and mentioned by Granholm, would lower the sales tax from 6 percent to 5 percent but extend it to more services.
What about doing something positive for the states economy. What about eliminating the MBT? What about cutting personal income and sales taxes?
Nope, John Cherry and his cheerleader wont have any of that. At the end on the MLive article, you can practically hear the violins playing:
Are Michigan voters prepared to pay a little more for hair cuts, and green fees to maintain their schools and cities?
John Cherry and the Democrats need to watch this.
John F. Kennedy understood the basics of economics:
While I laud term limits as a means of preventing the lemmings from continuously re-electing useless pieces of excrement, I’ve come to realize that Michigan’s politicians have NO interest in long-term solutions to the state’s problems.
Our elected representatives don’t think beyond what they’re gonna do next. Out of all the elected officials, from Granholm on down, only Andy Dillon is offering anything different from previous politicians.
In the final analysis, we need to do away with term limits. But, voters also need to fire their representatives when they don’t do their jobs. Sadly, that seems to be the case most of the time.
@Cynical Synapse:
C/S that is a great way to put it.
I’m torn about term limits, because as you said it prevents a third Granholm term. But on the other hand, if you have a good state rep and you are happy with his performance you are arbitrarily denied the opportunity to reelect that state rep.