Ax the Tax on the Editorial Pages
Read what Michigan newspapers are saying about our campaign to Ax the Tax.
Nov. 30
Detroit Free Press - Editorial
A bad tax meets irresponsible politics
Detroit News - Editorial
State lawmakers leave businesses in a lurch
Ann Arbor News - Editorial
"As Lansing Turns" sage hurts business
Midland Daily News - Editorial
Dysfunctional lawmakers wasting state resources
Nov. 24
Adrian Daily Telegram
Lawmakers need to clear their tax mess
Nov. 23
Port Huron Times Herald
Michigan's service tax pases threat to state's agriculture industry
Nov. 21
Detroit News - Editorial
Stop stalling on services tax fix
Nov. 13
Detroit News - Editorial
Give business tax hike a sunset
Nov. 9
Kalamazoo Gazette - Editorial
Businesses await tax revision; Lansing takes a break
Battle Creek Enquirer - Editorial
Repeal tax on services, replace it with fairer levy
Nov. 8
Adrian Daily Telegram - Editorial
Pull the trigger now on state service tax
Nov. 7
Detroit News - Editorial
Repair services tax before 'hunting break'
Nov. 5
Detroit Free Press - Editorial
Fix the services tax
Grand Rapids Press - Editorial
The service tax: repeal and replace
Flint Journal - Editorial
Services tax fix
Nov. 1
Detroit News - Editorial
Replace the damaging new state services tax
Detroit News - Daniel Howes
Service Tax Fight Just May Pay Off
Detroit Free Press - Tom Walsh
Businesses offer great escape from services tax
Oct. 29
Detroit News
Business must unite behind service tax fix
Holland Sentinel
Services tax may be too flawed to save
Oct. 24
Detroit News – Guest Column
Michigan repeats folly of luxury tax
Even Democrats now realize that the recent tax increases enacted under the direction of Gov. Jennifer Granholm are bad news for the already teetering Michigan economy. The inanely crafted expanded sales tax on 23 selected services is, in particular, a cruel joke on Michigan workers. (more)
Oct. 20
Livingston Press and Argus – Editorial
Deal doesn't prompt much faith in abilities of state lawmakers
So how much do you want to bet there are more people in the state Legislature who play golf in the summer than go skiing in the winter time?
And does that account for why, when the state of Michigan extends its 6 percent sales tax to some selected services come Dec. 1, ski lift tickets will be taxed and greens fees won't? (more)
Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun – Column
Service tax generates more jokes than funds
Where in the world did state lawmakers come up with the list of services that will be subject to Michigan's 6 percent sales tax?
Did they put every type of service known to mankind on a big board and throw darts at them until they reached a certain number?
Did they write them all down on little pieces of paper, fold them up and put them in the governor's piggybank, which of course just happened to be empty, and pull them out one at a time? (more)
Oct. 19
Escanaba Daily Press - Column
New taxes real head-scratchers
I have spent the last several seconds intensively studying the state's new tax plan — which imposes a 6 percent tax on various services beginning Dec. 1 — and I have come to this startling conclusion:
It makes no sense. (more)
Battle Creek Enquirer – Guest Column
Sales-tax measure must be repealed
State lawmakers have struggled with the budget for a number of months. Having to address a $1.75 billion deficit is no easy task. After years of dreaming up one-time solutions, and accounting Band-Aids and gimmicks to solve our state budget challenges, hoping that we could grow out of our economic woes over time, we've now turned to a solution of taxing our way out of the problem. State leaders agreed on a final budget package which increases the state income tax rate to 4.35 percent and expands the number of services subject to sales tax. The agreement was reached as state services teetered on the verge of a government shutdown. (more)
Oct. 16
Oakland Press – Editorial
Remember this tax hike come next election year
There's no doubt that our legislators in Lansing, while battling over how to remedy the budget crisis, did not exactly set a good example for educators teaching Civics 101.
If anything, the lawmakers reminded us of Keystone Cops, running around from caucus to caucus meeting with little, if any, plan of attack.
And to make matters worse, some legislators still aren't sure which services will face an additional state tax or which will not. (more)
Oct. 14
Detroit Free Press – Ron Dzwonkowski
Fix the state tax solution
While I'd never say I told you so, state legislators did, in fact, produce a real three-legged camel of a tax plan in the chaos of their shut-it-down session two weeks ago. The new 6% tax on a strange collection of services is already in the crosshairs of a repeal effort, and it doesn't even take effect until Dec. 1. (more)
Oct. 12
Midland Daily News – Editorial
Sanity might prevail on new service tax
It looks like sanity might prevail in Lansing after all.
Just two weeks after state legislators passed at the last-minute a tax on about two dozen services, there's talk, and potential action, to try to repeal this tax. (more)
Port Huron Times Herald – Rep. Dan Acciavatti Op Ed
Tax increases are inexcusable in light of the state's condition
In the early hours of Oct. 1, Michigan citizens awoke to learn the state income-tax rate was raised and the sales tax expanded to businesses that offer services, such as landscaping and consulting. I am appalled this measure passed the Michigan Legislature and was the only means by which the governor would accept a continuation budget and lift the government shutdown. (more)
Oct. 11
Kalamazoo Gazette - Editorial
Everyone's upset, yet budget problem is unresolved
Now that everyone has had time to digest the package of tax increases, reforms and further cuts to the state budget enacted in the wee hours by the Michigan Legislature, just about everybody has something to be upset about. (more)
Oct. 9
Detroit Free Press – Editorial
Don't make 7% sales tax mistake
Raising the state sales tax to 7% would take Michigan in the wrong direction, chasing a declining segment of the economy. People spend an increasingly smaller share of their money on products that are taxed, especially with food and prescription drugs out of the mix. (more)
Oct. 3
Detroit News – Editorial
Willy-nilly service tax is unfair, unpredictable
The sales tax on certain services that was adopted as part of the state budget deal early Monday morning is one of the most unfair and foolishly crafted pieces of legislation ever to come out of Lansing. (more)
|
