Comments on: SPECIAL REPORT: Top 10 budget cuts & Top 10 revenue ideas

By: Kirsten

Kirsten — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:20:43 +0000

30% of the University of Michigan students are from out-of-state. They don’t pay their full freight, even with higher tuitions. The University of Illinois tried to increase their out-of-state percentage from 10% to 25% and were beaten back by outraged taxpayers. Why do we herd our Michigan kids into satellite schools with big class sizes and reserve much of UM for others? We can’t afford the vanity of UM as a national public ivy anymore. UM for Michigan kids—we’re paying the taxes!

By: JC

JC — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:24:12 +0000

As a state, as a society, what do we want to invest in that enriches our lives and keeps us healthy, vibrant, and safe? And how do we pay for those things? It is very disheartening to see education, human services, libraries and arts, state police, and revenue sharing that support local police and fire services being gutted because we don’t have the fortitude to find revenue to protect them. Our state is fighting a losing battle in perception and in people. The exodus continues, while those who stay behind are left with less we value. What a sad predicament.

By: KG-1

KG-1 — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:48:48 +0000

Another one-sided article from Ms. Demas.

Get all of the people off of the public trough for a few moments so that they can comment on whose pocket they would like to see picked to fund their own pet project.

Michigan League of Human Services would just shrivel up and disappear without a constant infusion of government (read: taxpayer) money.

Ditto for the CRC. Can anyone please point out to me when the CRC has ever been against a tax?

Here’s a suggestion for the tax-spenders concerned that there will not be enough money to fund their pet projects: create a tax-me-more fund.

If the support is truly there for these programs and services, then why wait for government to act.

Can you image the flood of money pouring in when people like Susan Demas, Sharon Parks, Mickey Switalski, Doug Rothwell and Shanelle Jackson shut their mouths, open up their wallets and generously donate as much as they can afford to give to their pet causes?

It’s easy to have the helping hand of government pick someone else’s pocket.

It says a lot more when you pay for something you believe in yourself.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:20:59 +0000

I cannot beleive the Govener of this fine state would consider a beer tax at this time. Michigan is in dire straits right now. “We the people” are hurting financially. We have the highest unemployment in the country. Where is the tax money generated from. It’s not just the Breweries or the distributors. When taxes are increased these business’ have no choice but to pass them on to the consumer. The distrubutors in Michigan are family owned and can in no way afford to eat an 80 cent or 4 cents a can increase. This would cost hundreds if not thousands of jobs just to the wholesalers in the state. Not to mention the bars that would close and all the employees that work at them who would lose their jobs.
With a smoking ban in effect soon that will for sure hurt Michigan business’ isn’t it time that our goverment leave this industry alone. You have hurt us enough already. With the smoking ban alone it will cost several thousad jobs just to the people who clean and service the smoke eaters in these establishments.
Why a beer tax now? the beer tax here is already higher than any surrounding states. I urge anyone reading this oppose any kind of tax on beer. It will ultimately hurt the consumer and the state of Michigan.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:20:06 +0000

There’s a reason the beer tax hasn’t been raised: It’s a bad idea that will hurt the middle class citizens who are already struggling, and that includes putting local jobs at risk. Despite Michigan ’s tough economy, Michigan ’s beer sector is saving and creating jobs. Raising the tax on beer means craft brewers and distributors will have an extra hundreds of thousands of extra costs every year that will endanger jobs in this sector.

By: Kit

Kit — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:56:07 +0000

Michigan already has the highest beer tax in the region. It’s 300 percent higher than Wisconsin. It’s higher than in Indiana and Ohio, and made even more expensive because of our bottle deposits, which those states don’t have. If the beer tax goes up any more, Michigan beer will be at an even greater disadvantage. Michigan should support local businesses and jobs; we cannot afford to loose any more business to states across the border.
It’s time to stop singling out industries and pass real budget reforms that can fix our budget crisis once and for all.

By: Robert R

Robert R — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:23:50 +0000

I would agree significant cuts in the pay and benefits of public workers are in order. There are alot of other reforms that need to be made as well. But that will not close the budget hole. A cuts only budget will only hurt this state. We collect sales tax on goods only, and this is one of the most limited in the country. Most states tax services to some extent. We need to do so as well. Raising gas tax to fund road repairs is essential. Our roads and bridges are crumbling. There are long term solutions that are better, but that is for another day. Raise beer and wine tax, even just a little will help. We want a growing and thriving state. That takes jobs. Who would locate their business in this state. We cannot expect business to invest in our state if we will not invest in ourselves

By: T. Allen Blackburn

T. Allen Blackburn — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:09:26 +0000

I bid on services for the State every few years. They want us to cut each others throats out here to get the costs so low that you have to eliminate raises and benefits for your employees to give them the lowest cost services. I think they should feel the pain they have inflicted on us for several years while they have had their gravy train benefits, retirement accounts, raises, good salaries. I am all for Bishop’s plan to cut their salaries by 5% and freeze them for five years, make them pay for 20% of their health care costs. Let them see how they have forced us to live all of these years. There is plenty of fluff to cut from State employees to balance this budget and not cut further in to services that the state provides. Let them eat cake for a change.

By: Gerry

Gerry — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:04:25 +0000

The solution to our large (and increasing budget problem) is clear. The legacy costs for teachers and public sector wmployees can not be funded. We/They need to take the haircut that the private sector (taxpayers)have experienced. If they do so, the budget problem can be solved. Revenue under almost any scenario can not fix the problem.

By: Steve Shevick

Steve Shevick — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:51:45 +0000

If the Govenor and the legislature would forget the money that the Michigan Beer wholsalers spends to keep the tax out of mind they could get together and raise the tax .08 a can. Your talking real money. This tax increase is way overdue by about 25years. The wholesalers are not adverse to raiseing their prices, which they do at least once a year.Let the beer and wine industry pay its fair share and help this state balance the budget.