Tick Tock

This is Sunday. There will be no rest for our legislators. At about one o'clock they are about to get locked into session for the third day. I suppose I should feel sorry for them. Somehow, I feel that if they had seriously thought about running the state correctly before this, they would not have this problem. Its not as if you could not see this coming.

The question now is, will those who we have elected choose the expedient way by raising taxes, or the correct way by bringing spending in line with revenue? I do not think Michigan can take any more business as usual. The people out here are suffering because of job loss, loss of their children who have had to leave the state to find a job, loss of their homes because of taxes, reduced wages, higher insurance deductibles or even loss of insurance.

A tax increase will not get them a job, will not attract business, will not attract people to move to Michigan and it will not increase the family budget. Residents should not expect to reduce their budgets while the legislature continues to spend without making the appropriate cuts. Some of our legislators have done nothing to even attempt cut and have even suggested increases.

Speaker Andy Dillon has said that he will keep house members locked up for however long it takes to get them to vote for a income tax increase. Too bad he did not put as much emphasis or time into reducing the waste in state government or improving the business climate. I hope his prisoners of war are strong enough to withhold the pressure. As we speak they are making deals with our money to bribe for enough votes to pass the tax. They are offering things that they should not. We are not talking compromise. We are talking possible bribery.

Rose Bogaert, Chair
Wayne County Taxpayers Association, Inc.