Category Archives: Clear Taxing & Spending

Five key tax and budget reform lessons from other states

By John Bebow | Published: March 18, 2010
A long-term, sustainable solution to Michigan’s public budget woes appears as far away as ever. The governor is refusing to accept cuts to education proposed by the Senate and the Senate is refusing to accept the governor’s plan to restructure the state tax system with a sales tax on services. It smells an awful lot like [...]
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Tax bellwether: will Michigan follow Oregon?

By John Bebow | Published: January 28, 2010
Tremors from a big vote in Oregon Tuesday can be felt in Lansing. “Oregon voters bucked decades of anti-tax and anti-Salem sentiment Tuesday, raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy to prevent further erosion of public schools and other state services,” the Oregonian reported. “The tax measures passed easily, with late returns showing a 54 percent [...]
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Budget reforms and Lions fans

By John Bebow | Published: January 14, 2010
The Lansing State Journal recently quoted me on budget reform… “I thought (budget reform) was crucial for the past four years. Every year, I think this has to be the year, and every year I’m wrong. It’s like being a Lions fan.” Remember the governor’s commission’s of veteran bipartisan budget experts who recommended everything from cuts [...]
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An olive leaf on tax policy

By John Bebow | Published: December 10, 2009
The AARP is a dogged advocate for senior citizens. But this dogged advocate is setting a collaborative tone on Michigan tax policy. Steve Gools, AARP Michigan senior state director, recently did a pretty rare thing in Lansing — he suggested his interest group was willing to step outside its own interest and sacrifice. Michigan State University’s policy [...]
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SPECIAL REPORT: Other states take run at beer taxes (but come up short)

By The Center for Michigan | Published: December 3, 2009
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the latest in the Center’s ongoing series of special reports on forward-looking, statewide public policy issues. By Melissa Preddy In 1966, “That Girl” and “The Monkees” debuted on TV, gasoline cost 32 cents a gallon, the Dow Jones industrial average closed at 785 and Michigan’s beer excise tax was 2 cents a can. Forty-three [...]
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SPECIAL REPORT: Numbers every Michigan voter needs to know in 2010

By John Bebow | Published: November 13, 2009
If you are willing to invest fifteen minutes to read the Center’s new issue guide on state taxes and spending, you will have fresh understanding of the public purse and Michigan’s future prospects for tax reform and delivery of such basic services as schools, police and fire protection, and the social safety net. Even more importantly, you’ll [...]
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Tax breaks are easier to give than take away

By The Center for Michigan | Published: October 15, 2009
By Ken Sikkema Around Lansing, there’s a growing sense that tax breaks doled out by the Legislature over the past few decades are worth looking at as part of the solution to Michigan’s ongoing budget crisis. The official name for such tax breaks is “tax expenditures” and Michigan has about $36 billion worth. (Click here for the [...]
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Center "action group" to tackle tax reform in November

By John Bebow | Published: October 9, 2009
Businesses concerned about their future tax liabilities and schools trying to figure out their budgets be damned. Michigan’s budget, or lack thereof, remains a murky mess of continuations, potential future supplements, and ideas passed in one chamber or another, but not by both and not with a governor’s signature. The House passed $160 million or so in [...]
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SPECIAL REPORT: Other states struggle with tax changes, too

By The Center for Michigan | Published: September 30, 2009
By Melissa Preddy Michigan isn’t the only state struggling to balance its books during a recession without turning off business growth. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) projects a $142 billion aggregate budget shortfall in the 2010 fiscal year, despite efforts to cut costs and increase revenue. Cash-strapped legislatures coast to coast are grappling with the [...]
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More on tax reform nationwide

By John Bebow | Published: September 30, 2009
Here’s a quick look at dozens of tax changes in state governments across the country this year. A few of particular note… Illinois raised $50 million by raising taxes on sports and energy drinks. Kansas killed its film tax credit for two years. California raised both sales and income taxes. Indiana and Ohio haven’t raised any yet. In Pennsylvania, lawmakers [...]
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