By The Center for Michigan - November 13, 2006
Interactive Agenda
Click on the links below for source documents
9:00-10:00 a.m. - Setting Michigan Financial Priorities.
Presenter Papers:
Tom Clay, Citizens Research Council of Michigan
10:00-11:45 a.m - What Kind of Michigan Do We Want?
Work Group Papers:
Breakout Group Worksheet
Budget Fact Sheet
Group Conclusions
Noon-1:00 p.m. - Tax Reform In Other States
What Michigan can learn from recent tax reform efforts in Ohio, Texas and Other States.
Presenter Papers:
Roger Martin, Martin Waymire Advocacy Communications
Nancy Amstadt, globalEXETER Tax Consultants
Robert Cline, Ernst & Young
1:15-4:00 p.m. - Tax Options Give & Take
Advocates of various tax reform plans will outline how to make Michigan more competitive and business friendly while providing enough revenue for government services. A panel of economists will respond with pointed questions.
Presenter Papers:
Tricia Kinley, Michigan Chamber of Commerce
Jared Rodriguez, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce
Chuck Hadden, Michigan Manufacturers Association
Dan Smith, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce
Douglas Drake, Public Policy Associates
Jack McHugh, Mackinac Center for Public Policy
Roger Buchholtz, FairTax
Fulton Sheen , State Representative
Scott Schrager, State Treasury



2 Comments
I want to sign the petition.There needs to be statewide reform in government,schools,and healthcare.The taxpayers can not carry the financial burden and nonsense going on.
I think theres always room for taking a 2nd look at some programs that arent giving a good return on our tax dollars, and maybe resume them in a future year when our state budget is doing better. I think theres always room for more creative cost cutting measures. I think theres always a way to make things more efficient.
However, i have to say, Taxes are not a big concern for me. Period. I know most of my taxes go to pretty useful and needed services federal, state, and local. I pay more in Social Security and Medicare annually than i do in Federal State and Local taxes combined. And thats for two benefits im told day after day in the media and by politicians not to expect when i get old and need them.
I pay more in yearly healthcare costs in premiums and copays and non-covered items and services than i do in combined taxes.
I pay more for gasoline for my wife and i in one year than ALL my taxes (fed, st, loc, ss, medic) combined.
I'm more concerned my food has doubled in the last year. I'm more concerned that I've had to pay triple the cost of Fuel over year 2001 for the last few years. I'm concerned that my utilities (gas-electr) have gone up each about 60% from 2001 to 2003 and stayed there.
I'm concerned that my house value has plummeted and my property taxes went up. But thats the only tax im concerned with.
So most taxes go to paying for state services we all know. But where exactly does all the money corporations force out of your hand go?
In 2003, i read a fortune magazine article with the CEO of Exxon and he said "money is coming in so fast we dont know what to do with it all". Well that was in 2003 when we were all hurting from gas around 1.95 to 2.25 a gallon. Now? new record profits every quarter. Well at least the wealthy shareholders of oil companies are making enough money off us consumers to keep their habit of purchasing all their clothes, wines and fancy cars and boats from other countries.
Sure helps their economies.
I conclude, if your income taxes are so high that you are more concerned with nitpicking the tax code to death to reduce them by a notch, Vs. all the Private companies Gouging us all with a sharp knife at their Whims. Then i have to conclude that you make too much money for you're own good and you need to stop complaining about your taxes.
You're also in the minority then that has a small vote at the polls but spends more of your money lobbying than we do on living every year.
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