You can learn a bunch about new governors by what they do the first thing out of the box.
Former Democratic Gov. Jim Blanchard put down his right hand from the swearing in Bible and quickly moved to raise the state income tax to balance the sagging deficit-ridden state budget he inherited from Gov. Milliken.
Former GOP Gov. Rick Snyder wasted little time slashing 15% out of state aid to universities and took that thievery and gave it to his pals in the business community via a nifty state business tax cut.
Current Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, after being elected to a second term, took immediate full advantage of her new Democratic legislative majority to also slice taxes but not for the wealthy corporate big wigs, but for Mr. and Mrs. Senior citizen taxpayer along with low income families struggling to stay above water.
And while the R’s are here in town demanding more tax breaks, Ms. Whitmer’s traveling road show has been criss crossing the state trumpeting the one thousand bucks seniors will be getting for the first time this year under one of her tax slicing laws. And don’t be surprised if she tries to change state law so that her signature will be on the checks and not the state treasurer.
Cool it executive office media watchdogs, only kidding.
These examples of what governors do is also a clear insight into the decidedly different philosophies the two political parties advance.
During her road tour the governor has responded to those GOP siren calls for another tax reduction for everyone.
The answer is no. But the governor has other concerns right in her own backyard. Progressive Democrats, especially in the Michigan House, are clamoring to raise more revenue for a whole host of new state services for citizens. For example, the governor is not leading this parade but she has not closed the door on a new state tax on vaping and E-Cigarette products. They are contributing to the current and future health ailments for the young kids who are smoking this stuff like it was those candy cigarettes the tobacco industry peddled back in the day when you were growing up.
The state health care bill for all tobacco related diseases is only about $5 billion a year and that does not included the 16,000 who die each year.
The governor also wants to do something about providing parental leave for families with new babies or a sick relative at home and the hefty price tag has to be paid somehow but so far she and the D’s haven’t figured that out.
And while she and they try to figure out all these spending proposals, the R’s continue to peddle the story that the governor et.al. have secretly raised your income tax rate.
Last year that rate was sliced to 4.05% from the previous 4.25%. But because the Democrats refused to restore the lower rate, the R’s tagged them with raising your taxes although there is no record of the Democrats voting to do that. By the way, the courts so far have ruled that the 4.05% level was only temporary and when the Democrats try to explain all this to the voters, the R’s will win the messaging war.
That’s because their 2024 Election year attack ads will say, when Democrats got control of the Michigan House, the first thing they did was to raise your state income tax. It’s a five second explanation compared to the one from the D’s which is much more complex and will take more time to explain while your eyes glaze over.
And so 2024 begins where other governors and legislatures began their new years...at odds on how to spend your money.
