In other words, hold on to your wallets. The latest push is for the worst type of tax around - the gasoline tax. It's proposed in the name of road construction, but who is to say that this is where the money is going to go. General Fund? That's not counting the fact that our gas prices are high enough as it is.
Fuel tax picks up steam
2 lawmakers to offer plan
April 3, 2007
BY DAWSON BELL
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
A new push to fix Michigan roads and transportation infrastructure by raising fuel taxes is expected to be announced at the Capitol today.
State Reps. Hoon-Yung Hopgood, D-Taylor, and Craig DeRoche, R-Novi, have scheduled a news conference this afternoon to launch the proposal that would, among other things, raise the state's gas tax by 9 cents over three years. The current state tax is 19 cents per gallon.
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We at the Wayne County Taxpayers Association in conjunction with Michigan Taxpayers Alliance are attempting to negotiate DeRoche's release. Please see the press release below.
"Release DeRoche!!! State Rep. captured by pro-tax terrorists!
Michigan Taxpayers Alliance Demands DeRoche be Released!
The Michigan Taxpayers Alliance today called for the immediate,
unconditional release of House Republican Leader Craig DeRoche.
Whoever has captured Representative DeRoche is forcing him to make videos
and radio talk show appearances in which he is made to express support for a
nine cent increase in Michigan's gas tax. These terrorists must be caught
and punished, MTA Executive Director Leon Drolet demanded,.DeRoche, who
held overall state spending below the rate of inflation for the two years he
served as House Speaker, would never willingly support such a ill-timed and
unnecessary tax hike. We should not negotiate with DeRoche's captors,
Drolet went on to say. Michigan citizens are being crushed by our state's
economic stagnation. Nine cents more for gas would make Michigan the sixth
highest gas tax in the country.
Drolet advocates road spending reform, Michigan drivers already watch the
federal government ship part of the taxes Michigan pays to fund road
improvements to other states. On top of that, up to ten percent of the
existing state gas tax is siphoned off to fund empty busses and crazy ~light
rail schemes that even government studies have determined few would use.
Michigan's prevailing wage laws ensure that building roads in Michigan is as
expensive as possible, and mandated minority contracting preferences ensure
that the lowest qualified bidder is not always awarded road contracts.
Furthermore, Governor Granholm's existing Fix it First policy focuses tax
dollars on roads in places she wishes people still lived instead of where they DO live.
Once DeRoche is found and released, he can return to fighting for reform of
how our existing gas taxes are misspent,Drolet concluded."
We hope that we may be able to save him before he is brainwashed by the taxspenders in Lansing. If not he will have to be sacraficed with the rest.
Quote from an article in Wednesday's (4-4-07) Detroit News
'Critics of the plan said it would hurt consumers and noted that while Michigan has a lower gas tax than 33 states, it's one of just a handful of states to charge a sales tax on gas. They said Michigan would have the nation's second-highest combined gas taxes and registration fees if the proposal becomes law.'
So if this increase becomes law, only one other state will be placing a heavier burden on car owners than Michigan.
The sales tax was raised to 6% from 4% in the 90's to offset the lower property taxes under prop A, but property taxes have shot up and are once again higher than in most other states PLUS we STILL have the higher sales tax.
And don't forget that Democrats want to increase the income tax.
Democrats have only been in power since January and their only solution to fixing Michigan's dead economy is to try and make Michigan's taxes and fees #1 in the U.S. It is no wonder that so many educated and skilled people are leaving Michigan and with leadership like this the outward flow will only increase.
The bill also, as I understood news reports, raises vehicle registration fees 50%. It raises the tax on diesel fuel, too. I guess we can expect to see a lot more round-a-bouts soon.
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