Vote Yes on Proposal 5 (2/3rd to raise taxes)

There's a lot of disinformation out there regarding proposal 5 by its opponents. The government class knows that tax increases are unpopular, and also know that without the disinformation, voters will easily approve the measure. This is the text of Proposal 5

PROPOSAL 12-5 A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO LIMIT THE ENACTMENT OF NEW TAXES BY STATE GOVERNMENT This proposal would: Require a 2/3 majority vote of the State House and the State Senate, or a statewide vote of the people at a November election, in order for the State of Michigan to impose new or additional taxes on taxpayers or expand the base of taxation or increasing the rate of taxation. This section shall in no way be construed to limit or modify tax limitations otherwise created in this Constitution. Should this proposal be approved? YES __ NO ____

What the government class is saying is that you can't cut taxes if proposal 2 passes. That's an absolute crock of bullshit. I repeat. Bullshit. If Proposal 2 passes, it would take 2/3 to raise taxes, but a simple majority to lower them. What this would do, is limit the "replacement" taxes (like MBT for SBT), tax shifts, Granholm's taxes, Blanchard's taxes, and Snyder's pension tax, push for the gas tax. What this would require is instead of bailouts, actual structural reform that has long been needed. Vote NO on 2,3, and 4. YES on 5. There's arguments either way on 1 and 6. I went reluctant yes on 1, and reluctant no on 6.

2/3 to raise taxes - Vote YES on proposition 5

The Argus has a story on Prop 5.

A two-thirds supermajority to raise taxes in the state Legislature isn't such a super idea, according to foes, which include the governor as well as major businesses and municipal groups.

Yet Proposal 5 backers said it's only common sense.

"People of all political backgrounds — Republicans, Democrats, Independents — have come to us and said this just makes sense," said Lana Theis of the Michigan Alliance For Prosperity, which placed the issue on the Nov. 6 election ballot.

Opponents, including the normally tax-averse Michigan Chamber of Commerce, said the measure would do more harm than good.

"We take pride in having a long history of advocating for tax relief, but this is simply the wrong proposal," said Jim Holcomb, the chamber's senior vice president of business advocacy.

Tax issues are always contentious, and most tax-relief and restructuring packages tend to pass by a simple majority vote in the Legislature, not the harder-to-come-by two-thirds margin, Holcomb said. "It ties the hands of the Legislature. If this were in place, you'd have never have gotten rid of the (Michigan Business Tax)."

Gov. Rick Snyder sounded a similar concern in statements and a video posted at michigan.gov/snyder.

I often agree with the Chamber, but I disagree with them here. I think of the reasons they oppose this is due to their support for the gas tax increase. Some of their members are the roadbuilders. The other thing is this. If 2/3 was enacted, the MBT could have very well be gone. It doesn't take 2/3 to pass a tax cut or decrease. However, that damn pension tax would not have been enacted, nor would the Granholm taxes. As far as Snyder goes, his opposition to this is another reason to support it. He just came out supporting the gas tax increase. Voting for prop 5 is a good way to tell him that we're in charge, and he's not.

"I think you could eliminate a tax rather easily. But the question becomes, what do you replace it with and would that qualify as a new tax?" Lupner asked.

Replace it with reduced spending. Government doesn't have our trust. It hasn't earned it. Vote yes on proposition five.

41 cent gas tax isn't good enough for Rick Snyder - Another reason to vote for Proposal 5 (2/3rd)

When are the 2014 primaries starting again? Rick Snyder needs a primary challenger. He's killing us and our party (and I don't think he's really a Republican to begin with, just a technocrat). I think he's hurting Romney as well. It's always been one step forward and two steps back with this guy. He vetoed the election reforms, and now he's on record - again - for yet another tax increase. Jennifer Granholm was the Matt Millen of Governors, and when it comes to taxes, Snyder is little to no different. Increase them. With Republicans like Snyder, we don't need democrats.

The chattering and government classes in Lansing have long been on a jihad to increase the gas tax and registration fees. That hasn't changed and it has flared up again. From Mlive

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Votes cast at the West Michigan Policy Forum identified improved transportation infrastructure as the gathering’s second most important priority.
Gov. Rick Snyder touched on that topic and more during a Thursday question-and-answer session that concluded the two-day event.
He compared raising Michigan’s gas tax and vehicle registration fees to getting an oil change on a new car.
“If you don’t make that investment (in an oil change), how much money is it going to cost you to replace an engine?" Snyder said. "This isn't any different.
“Too often we look at the public sector as a cash-in-cash-out thing. Over a 30-year time period, I think we’re saving money (by raising the gas tax and vehicle registration fees). It’s actually a reduction of cost.


Hey Rick, how much of that current "oil change" is leaked out by the system's piss poor diversion. When over half of the "oil" doesn't go into the engine, it's a Fubarred system. 

This is nothing new with Snyder. He pushed this back in 2011. I've long opposed an increase on the gas tax when it is one of the highest in the country, and gets higher as prices increase. 

Gas Prices are around $4, more in Livingston County. I recently saw it at $4.10 in Brighton. At $4.10, 41 cents for each gallon goes to the State of Michigan. That's not including the federal gas tax which is 18 1/2 cents. 59 cents of every gallon is taxed by government. That increases transportation costs, as well as shipping costs for food and every other item out there that is transported by truck or ship.

If you want more money for infrastructure, get the sales tax off of gasoline. That's 22 cents a gallon that goes to the state and does not go towards transportation. In addition, have the transportation money to to roads and not some BS boondoggles like the WALLY train. The problem is tunnel vision by the government insider class in Lansing who believe the false premise that the gas tax - and only the gas tax - can go to transportation. It's bad thinking. It's incorrect. It needs to change. 

The bad news is that unless the 2/3 proposal passes, eventually this tax increase will pass, likely in a lame duck session. When I don't know, but there's too much of a sustained Lansing insider push from the government class. Click on the gas tax label on the blog and you'll see a ton of it, largely from termed out legislators, road lobbyists, and local governments. It's not just democrats either, but insider republicans (although definitely not a conservative) like Ken Sikkema who gave Granholm almost everything she wanted in her first term. Right now a lot of legislators are scared of this and rightly so, but this could kill us in a lame duck at some point, especially if the governor is also in lame duck. 

This is a big reason why the 2/3rd amendment has to pass. It would have stopped the Blanchard, Granholm, and Snyder taxes that have been passed. It can also stop the gas tax increases whether it is pushed by Granholm, Snyder, or whoever is there in the future. The legislature does not always check and balance the governor who is mistakenly viewed as the leader of the party. Vote yes on Proposal 5.