Just now, Republicans forced yet another disastrous tax plan through the legislature with no immediate tangible relief for working families. This backwards proposal wouldn’t provide any relief to Michiganders until roughly a year from now at the earliest, and even then wealthy individuals stand to benefit the most from it.
After a similar bill failed to become law earlier this year, Republicans are attempting to slash annual funding for critical services like local law enforcement, public education, health departments, and infrastructure. Republicans’ previous income tax proposal would have delivered thousands each year for earners in the top 1 percent while providing less than $100 for middle and low income Michigan families.
By contrast, in a move that would actually get relief into the pockets of working families, Governor Whitmer just proposed a plan to immediately send “$500 to families from the state’s surplus in an effort to combat rising living standard costs amid high inflation and supply chain shortages.”
Additionally, Governor Whitmer has been calling on the legislature to come to the table and fully repeal the retirement tax which would save half a million households an average of $1,000 annually.
This common-sense solution has already found support across the aisle from legislators like Sen. Tom Barrett (R), who praised the proposal as something that “can make an enormous difference for our seniors.”
Whitmer has also proposed more than tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit from 6% to 20% and pausing the sales tax on gas.
MDP Chair Lavora Barnes issued the following statement:
“The legislative GOP circus continues, expanding chaos and corruption into a third ring ramming through a self-sabotaging tax plan that would impact Michigan’s ability to function at the most basic level and undermine all of our economic progress. To really underline their total disregard for working families, they cultivated a sham plan to force cuts to public schools and defund local police and fire protection that wouldn’t even go into effect until next year. Republicans in Lansing need to cut the games and come to the table with Governor Whitmer, who has more than established she wants to strike a deal that actually helps those who need it most.”
