A Michigan voting primer

In case you've been hiding under a rock and didn't know it - Election Day is coming up. This Tuesday, November 4th, is Election Day. Did you know that you can look at your own local ballot online before you go to the polls? Yep, you can be all prepared and read up on all of the politicians and proposals so you don't waste time in the voting booth trying to figure it all out.

Just go to www.Michigan.gov/Vote and login using either your name, birth date and zip code or your driver's license number and birth date.

You'll be able to see your ballot and there is even a nice little map showing you where your local polling place is. How neat is that? Print out your ballot and look it over so you'll be well prepared come Election Day.

It's election day!

Yes! Not only do we get to exercise our right to vote, but we can quit seeing all of the campaign ads on television. Seriously, there are a lot of important issues on the ballot around here and across the state. Schools need to make improvements, and officials need to be elected.

Find our where your polling place is and if you are registered at https://services2.sos.state.mi.us/mivote/.

October 8, 2002 - Granholm - I do not want to raise a single tax

Back in the rosy nearly-post-Engler days in Michigan back in October 2002 there was a debate between Jennifer Granholm and Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus. When asked whether or not they would raise taxes this was Jennifer Granholm's response -

I do not want to raise a single tax, except for one - to make sure there is parity between the diesel tax and the gas tax.

I guess Posthumus had Granholm pegged when he responded to her above statement with this -

The question was 'will you raise taxes?' and what my opponent said was, 'I don't want to raise taxes,' not, 'I won't raise taxes.

Anyone surprised that our taxes are going up in Michigan?

One more thing. This is a quote on the Michigan.gov (official state website mind you) from March 30, 2006 and you can read the entire article at www.Michigan.gov -

Republicans have made their intentions clear: They intend to raise taxes for Michigan families by $800 or gut education, health care, and public safety in order to finance a tax cut for business,” Granholm said.

Our plan was revenue neutral and would not raise taxes on Michigan families nor force draconian cuts in education, health care, and public safety,” Granholm said. “The differences between us are striking.

I would say the difference between Jennifer Granholm at pre-election time and Jennifer Granholm at post-election time are striking as well. Remember when the first President George Bush said "No new taxes!" during his campaign? Just thought I would point out that this isn't just a Democrat or Republican thing - it's a politician thing.

Entire Michigan legislature should be recalled if we have a Government Shutdown

I do everything I can to promote the state of Michigan. I have avoided commenting on this whole state budget crisis up to this point, but I can't take it anymore. If on October 1, the state of Michigan does indeed have to shutdown our government due to a lack of a workable budget we should recall the entire legislature from the Governor on down the line. Is it or is it not their jobs to avoid a situation such as this?

Did they not know this has been coming for the last several months?

Michigan is on the cusp of becoming a national laughingstock if our elected officials stick their collective heads in the sand and our government is forced to shutdown. In addition to becoming the butt of jokes across the country there are essential services that could possibly stop along with the shutdown.

Need to renew your license at the Secretary of State? Spend a weekend camping at a state park? A shutdown could potentially close numerous departments that will affect a lot of Michigan residents.

We need better answers than simply saying that a tax increase will make things better. What about in a couple of years when property tax revenue goes in the tank due to lower assessment values in the real estate sector because of Michigan's slumping housing market and mass exodus from the state? Another tax increase?

If our elected officials cannot run the state, why should they keep their jobs? A lot of good hard workers in this state continue to lose their jobs through no fault of their own. Why should we employ legislators who do not do theirs?

I have contacted my state senator regarding this matter, perhaps we all should.

See the article on the Detroit News, Senate Spars over budget

Granholm puts state budget crisis on backs of taxpayers

While Gov. Granholm basically calls state legislators cowards if they don't vote in favor of a tax hike because of the fear of being recalled.

I hope every legislator has the backbone to do what's right for their districts and what's right for Michigan, and not just what's right for their political futures," Granholm said.

State legislators in some districts are being targeted by the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance with the threat of recall if they vote in favor of raising taxes to solve (temporarily at best) the state's budget deficit of $1.75 billion.

The real issue here (to me anyway) is the fact that Gov. Granholm and our state legislators have not seen the light and figured out that it would be better to cut back and have a smaller government that is efficient and can run at a lower cost. I can't believe that they still haven't figured out that people don't want higher taxes.

I grow weary of Granholm banging on the fact that the only way to fix our state's fiscal issues is to squeeze more money out of Michigan residents. Quit panhandling and start coming up with practical solutions please.

Hey, we have a Michigan business tax on the table

Finally. State lawmakers have a new tax on the table that replaces the SBT which expires December 31, 2007. Lawmakers had to have something put together by July 1 in order for it to take effect for the new fiscal year which begins October 1.

Right now it looks like there will be a tax of just under .8% on gross profits minus purchases of tangible property (anything other than real estate or money - furniture would be tangible property) and a tax on profits just under 5%.

I can live with this. There are a lot more details to work out, but at first glance it does not appear that businesses (like ours, for example) will be hit too hard.

As a business owner, Katherine LaMont, was quoted as saying, "The devil's going to be in the details."

It always is. :)

For more information read the article at the Detroit Free Press.