Groups Urging A No Vote On The May 5 Tax Increase Are All Over The Political Map

Monday , 2, February 2015 3 Comments

In a matter of weeks Michigan will have the opportunity to vote on a sales tax hike, the first one the state has faced in twenty years. Governor Snyder proposed this tax hike from 6% to 7% as a way to fix Michigan’s post-apocalyptic infrastructure, and pretend to put more money back into public schools. Like the use tax ballot proposal Michiganians voted on and passed last August, the amendment will trigger a slew of other bills waiting for the people of Michigan to change the state constitution so they can be passed and signed by the state legislature and governor. This is the first clue that the people of Michigan need to pay attention.

A group of Republicans late last week launched a group to fight against the May 5 vote. The Coalition Against Higher Taxes and Special Interest Deals will work to inform the public that a NO vote is the right choice to make on the ballot proposal in May. The main issue they have is the proposal will allow an increase to the Earned Income Credit, a tax credit Snyder cut in 2011 with a host of other tax credits middle class and working families lost. Faith and Freedom Coalition member and former congressional district candidate Paul Mitchell is one of the leaders of this group.

Another group urging voters to say no to the sales tax increase is Protect Michigan Taxpayers. This group is led by Keith Allard of the Grand Rapids Taxpayers Association, and has affiliation with tea party groups in West Michigan. Americans For Prosperity, the Koch Brothers funded front group for the tea party will also likely campaign against it.

The Green Party has also come out against the May 5 ballot proposal, citing that the changes to the state constitution this ballot measure will make seems to have the purpose of of blurring the definition of what types of education the new school funds can be used to fund. Something that would not require an expansion if the revenues from the new tax were meant to fund education as it is currently stated.

So far, the only people who seem in favor of the tax hike are CEOs and friends of Snyder. School Superintendents also believe the tax hike will fix the issue of school funding. Michigan Citizens For Better Roads and Schools is one group taking up the mantle of being in favor of the sales take increase.

What this all means is that instead of doing what the people of Michigan pay them to do, the state government in Lansing kicked the can down the road and decided it was easier for the voters in Michigan to do their job for them. If people are dismayed by the turnout for November, the May 5 vote will likely be even more of a disappointment.

3 thoughts on “ : Groups Urging A No Vote On The May 5 Tax Increase Are All Over The Political Map”
  • Harold Leese says:

    Please support my plan to fill up all the Detroit public buses with fare box paying customers OR defeat all transportation tax increases in Michigan. It is not SMART but stupid to think higher taxes will fix our state budget without getting competent leaders who can help manage our limited tax dollars first. savethefueltax.org

  • Williamschoolcraft says:

    Fuck the government! My total income for last year was only about $9,000 barely half of what’s considered the poverty level. Yet the state of Michigan says I owe them $111 on top of the taxes they already took from me. The feds will give me $85 back, but they are fining me $71 because I couldn’t afford insurance. Hell, I can’t even afford an apartment, I live in a garage. I couldn’t get help from the state or federal government on the form of Medicaid or anything. Yet people who don’t work, draw welfare got way more money from welfare last year than I did from working. And my tax dollars paid for it! What’s wrong with this shit? I can’t afford to work. Fuck the government!

  • joe says:

    don’t we pay enough in taxes all ready? WE HAVE THE HIGHEST INSURANCE RATES AND the highest gas tax rates in the nation enough is enough

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