Comments on: The shared vision of Granholm and Bishop http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/the-shared-vision-of-granholm-and-bishop/ Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:31:23 +0000 hourly 1 By: syvok http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/the-shared-vision-of-granholm-and-bishop/comment-page-1/#comment-4713 syvok Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:22:00 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=2931#comment-4713 Why are we going after peoples pockets. Reducing the pay 5% or 3%, paying 20% more in health premiums, wage freeze for 3 years is just plain stupid. This is a cut in pay of 30% or more over all.Did this stuff work at GM no they went bankrupt because they did not invest in the future, remove idiot/arrogant management or look at ways to diversify their company. So you would put people who pay taxes in a lower bracket which would accomplish less revenues. Well done. One of the reasons we accepted a position here was because the medical insurance was very good. We had two other offers three years ago now I wish we would have taken one of the others in different states. The legislature needs to put together some sort of mass state investment project to generate jobs. Deficits go away if people can pay taxes. Here is a couple of ideas,Technology Parks at all Universities to generate new businesses, Rail with feeder lines that connects all regions to major cities and tourist attractions, utilities moving underground to have less outages during unfavorable weather, update the infrastructure. Better roads so our state is more attractive to new business. Slash/burn with no investments is not working. I have lived in 5 other states and I think Michigan is one of the worst legislatures I have ever seen. Get rid of term limits that is what voting is for. Why do we allow our state to be in a recession for 10 years? Why are we going after peoples pockets. Reducing the pay 5% or 3%, paying 20% more in health premiums, wage freeze for 3 years is just plain stupid. This is a cut in pay of 30% or more over all.Did this stuff work at GM no they went bankrupt because they did not invest in the future, remove idiot/arrogant management or look at ways to diversify their company. So you would put people who pay taxes in a lower bracket which would accomplish less revenues. Well done. One of the reasons we accepted a position here was because the medical insurance was very good. We had two other offers three years ago now I wish we would have taken one of the others in different states. The legislature needs to put together some sort of mass state investment project to generate jobs. Deficits go away if people can pay taxes. Here is a couple of ideas,Technology Parks at all Universities to generate new businesses, Rail with feeder lines that connects all regions to major cities and tourist attractions, utilities moving underground to have less outages during unfavorable weather, update the infrastructure. Better roads so our state is more attractive to new business.
Slash/burn with no investments is not working. I have lived in 5 other states and I think Michigan is one of the worst legislatures I have ever seen. Get rid of term limits that is what voting is for. Why do we allow our state to be in a recession for 10 years?

]]> By: David Waymire http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/the-shared-vision-of-granholm-and-bishop/comment-page-1/#comment-4712 David Waymire Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:21:57 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=2931#comment-4712 Ronald, I would challenge your number and your wisdom. The state has "drastically reduced taxes and shrunk government." The state's effective tax rate -- total income divided by total state taxes -- has dropped from 9.55 percent in 2000 to 6.9 percent in 2010...a 26 percent cut. We have cut state employment by 10000 persons...about 18 percent. The state budget supported by state taxes has increased 2.4 percent this decade; personal income by 12.7 percent -- in other words, state spending has increased far, far less than the ability of the people of Michigan to pay for it. We have made these decisions to cut taxes, possibly under the (now proven) mistaken belief that doing so by itself would improve our economy. In reality, of course, state taxes are a relatively small part of any businesses overall expense. And they pay for key elements a successful society needs -- especially in the knowledge economy. "Every dollar extorted in taxes is a dollar that reduces the capital available for commerce," you rail. But of course, if done wisely -- and sometimes it is -- a dollar "extorted" in taxes helps prepare a future worker through education, provides a judge for when the business needs to settle a dispute, paves a road for a business to use, provides sewer systems, ensures food is safe for consumption, helps keep children from being abused by their parents, makes sure a cop comes by to keep the bad guys away, provides a prison for the bad guys, prevents polluters from pouring toxins in your water, provides wise health care to the poor so they don't end up getting expensive health care in an emergency room that ends up raising insurance for businesses... I think you get the picture. A society without taxes and regulation looks much like Somalia...no government, no police, no taxes, pirates on every corner and two guns in every home...and no successful businesses, either, other than recycling handguns and burying people. "Government jobs are not productive work." Do you include the military in that. Thanks for insulting our hard WORKING men in uniform. Firefighters. Police. Teachers. Researchers in universities finding the next cancer breakthrough. Police. The guy who put the sewer in where you live. Not productive? I am a small business owner myself, have never worked in government, but my dad was in the military for most of his life, and he seemed to think putting his life on the line was productive...but I would be interested in seeing some public service workers weigh in on you post. Ronald, I would challenge your number and your wisdom. The state has “drastically reduced taxes and shrunk government.” The state’s effective tax rate — total income divided by total state taxes — has dropped from 9.55 percent in 2000 to 6.9 percent in 2010…a 26 percent cut. We have cut state employment by 10000 persons…about 18 percent. The state budget supported by state taxes has increased 2.4 percent this decade; personal income by 12.7 percent — in other words, state spending has increased far, far less than the ability of the people of Michigan to pay for it.

We have made these decisions to cut taxes, possibly under the (now proven) mistaken belief that doing so by itself would improve our economy. In reality, of course, state taxes are a relatively small part of any businesses overall expense. And they pay for key elements a successful society needs — especially in the knowledge economy. “Every dollar extorted in taxes is a dollar that reduces the capital available for commerce,” you rail. But of course, if done wisely — and sometimes it is — a dollar “extorted” in taxes helps prepare a future worker through education, provides a judge for when the business needs to settle a dispute, paves a road for a business to use, provides sewer systems, ensures food is safe for consumption, helps keep children from being abused by their parents, makes sure a cop comes by to keep the bad guys away, provides a prison for the bad guys, prevents polluters from pouring toxins in your water, provides wise health care to the poor so they don’t end up getting expensive health care in an emergency room that ends up raising insurance for businesses…

I think you get the picture. A society without taxes and regulation looks much like Somalia…no government, no police, no taxes, pirates on every corner and two guns in every home…and no successful businesses, either, other than recycling handguns and burying people.

“Government jobs are not productive work.” Do you include the military in that. Thanks for insulting our hard WORKING men in uniform. Firefighters. Police. Teachers. Researchers in universities finding the next cancer breakthrough. Police. The guy who put the sewer in where you live. Not productive? I am a small business owner myself, have never worked in government, but my dad was in the military for most of his life, and he seemed to think putting his life on the line was productive…but I would be interested in seeing some public service workers weigh in on you post.

]]> By: Ronald Burcham http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/the-shared-vision-of-granholm-and-bishop/comment-page-1/#comment-4711 Ronald Burcham Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:56:18 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=2931#comment-4711 Recovery is just around the corner BUT only if the Governor gets out of the way with her Progressive ideas. The best way to recovery is for the government to drastically reduce taxes and shrink intrusive government. The Governor should get her meddling self and her government out of the way and let the private sector do what it does best---create productive jobs. Every dollar extorted in taxes is a dollar that reduces the capital available for commerce. When are the political parties and academia in the state going to admit that taxation and regulation destroy private sector jobs. The private sector cannot employ someone with money that is extorted from it by the government. Government jobs are not productive work. Bureaucracies absorb capital they do not create it. PS Mrs. G. Earth warming and green jobs are now passe. Green jobs are a fraud. Earth warming is a fraud or haven't any of your aides told you about the recent activity on the web exposing the liars in academia who've been pushing the big lie about climate change. Recovery is just around the corner BUT only if the Governor gets out of the way with her Progressive ideas. The best way to recovery is for the government to drastically reduce taxes and shrink intrusive government. The Governor should get her meddling self and her government out of the way and let the private sector do what it does best—create productive jobs. Every dollar extorted in taxes is a dollar that reduces the capital available for commerce. When are the political parties and academia in the state going to admit that taxation and regulation destroy private sector jobs. The private sector cannot employ someone with money that is extorted from it by the government. Government jobs are not productive work. Bureaucracies absorb capital they do not create it.

PS Mrs. G. Earth warming and green jobs are now passe. Green jobs are a fraud. Earth warming is a fraud or haven’t any of your aides told you about the recent activity on the web exposing the liars in academia who’ve been pushing the big lie about climate change.

]]> By: Becky http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/the-shared-vision-of-granholm-and-bishop/comment-page-1/#comment-4710 Becky Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:28:28 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=2931#comment-4710 Local government is already cutting staffing levels, requiring employees to contribute toward health insurance premiums, and cutting pay. The State should start with cutting benefits to the legislature. I understand they don't think it's "legal" to cut wages and benefits to elected officials. Seems like they are in a position to change that. Local government is already cutting staffing levels, requiring employees to contribute toward health insurance premiums, and cutting pay. The State should start with cutting benefits to the legislature. I understand they don’t think it’s “legal” to cut wages and benefits to elected officials. Seems like they are in a position to change that.

]]> By: Bob http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/the-shared-vision-of-granholm-and-bishop/comment-page-1/#comment-4709 Bob Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:32:03 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=2931#comment-4709 Why does Granholm not include all public employess in the 20% premiums on health care? It's this timid crap that will keep Michigan the Mississippi of the Midwest. Why does Granholm not include all public employess in the 20% premiums on health care?

It’s this timid crap that will keep
Michigan the Mississippi of the Midwest.

]]> By: Joan Bauer http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/the-shared-vision-of-granholm-and-bishop/comment-page-1/#comment-4708 Joan Bauer Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:27:49 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=2931#comment-4708 Great observations! For anything to happen this year . . . for Michigan . . . there must be compromise between the House, Senate, and the Governor. Those compromises must include reforms, revenue, and, unfortunately, some pretty drastic reductions. I am willing to compromise on some things I don't really like in the reform area, but feel we must have commitment for new revenue to fill some of the deficit gap. Great observations! For anything to happen this year . . . for Michigan . . . there must be compromise between the House, Senate, and the Governor. Those compromises must include reforms, revenue, and, unfortunately, some pretty drastic reductions. I am willing to compromise on some things I don’t really like in the reform area, but feel we must have commitment for new revenue to fill some of the deficit gap.

]]> By: Dave Boillat http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/the-shared-vision-of-granholm-and-bishop/comment-page-1/#comment-4707 Dave Boillat Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:41:22 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=2931#comment-4707 Insurance for retirees should model the government owned car companies insurance polies. All retirement pension programs should require a minimum of 24 years in service. All pensions of all state employees need to be revisited and they should be eliminated with typical pension plans being offered by the friends and families of elected officials businesses. Insurance for retirees should model the government owned car companies insurance polies.

All retirement pension programs should require a minimum of 24 years in service.

All pensions of all state employees need to be revisited and they should be eliminated with typical pension plans being offered by the friends and families of elected officials businesses.

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