2007 House Joint Resolution X: Raise sales tax to 7 percent

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Introduced by Rep. George Cushingberry (D) on September 12, 2007, to place before voters in the Jan. 15, 2008 presidential primary election a Constitutional amendment to raise the sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent, with any new money going for general government spending, instead of being earmarked to specific purposes like the rest of the sales tax revenue.
- Motion by Rep. Steve Tobocman (D) on September 12, 2007, that the joint resolution be placed on the order of Second Reading of Bills without having been assigned to a committee or having had any hearings. The motion passed by voice vote in the House on September 12, 2007.
- Motion by Rep. George Cushingberry (D) on September 12, 2007, that final passage on the joint resolution be voted on immediately. The "board was opened" for representatives to vote, but the vote was cancelled when it became clear that the two-thirds supermajority required to put a Constitutional amendment to raise taxes on the ballot were not forthcoming. The motion passed by voice vote in the House on September 12, 2007.
- Motion by Rep. Steve Tobocman (D) on September 12, 2007, that consideration of the joint resolution be postponed temporarily. The motion passed by voice vote in the House on September 12, 2007.

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1) NO NEW TAXES by Anonymous Citizen on September 19, 2007
or increases on those already in place. Michigan is the only state in the Union that has shifted the economy into reverse and continues to keep it there. To continue by raising taxes in spite of the lessons learned and relearned over the last few years is to ignore economics good common sense.
Every business person realizes that if their products are not selling as they should, in order to make a profit prices must be cut or product discontinued to stay in business. The auto companies do it by offering rebates, interest free loans, and discounts, when sales are slumping.
Our legislature should be finding more ways to cut taxes, cut non-crucial services, and to discontinue government services and bureaus that are not producing at a fair value. A few, just to suggest starting points, would be the cutting of legislative jobs and staff by at least a third. This would leave time to accomplish what needs to be done plus leave a few hours for the cutting of costs elsewhere.
Road crews do not have to be on the road before snow starts to build - this only creates o/t for road crews. Same with salt trucks.
Many (not all) government offices are staffed with supervisors responsible for only a few employees, and could count their supervisory hours each month on one hand, while being able to count their productive hours per week or month on the other hand.
Schools are frequently staffed with teachers who teach material opposed to the principles of our culture. This is more prevalent in the college level institutions, but are they sacred?
As the economy of the state declines, so do incomes. Businesses need help to stay and so do the people they employed. These after all are people who have been paying taxes.

Would this be hard to do? You bet.

But our government, responsible not only for the safety of its citizens, but to provide an atmosphere friendly to business that its' citizens might find work available, has let us down.
The solution is not to raise taxes, which only shifts a heavier burden to those least able to
provide it, but as history has proven, creates only a sickening downward spiral.
The hard job still needs to be done; if the current government in Michigan is not up to the task, I urge the citizens to do the heavy lifting. Remember those who have let us down, who want to raise our taxes, who encourage our businesses to leave. Remember them and replace them. After all, we have the power - if we want to take it.

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2) Cushingberry by jmd364 on September 17, 2007

Rep. George Cushingberry, another glittering jewel of colossal ignorance, and a fine example of why we need a part time legislature!
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3) Missed Services? by Anonymous Citizen on September 16, 2007
Would we miss the current governor and legislature?
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