West Michigan Regional Policy Conference kicks off, takes MBT to task
September 18th, 2008 at 10:40 am by Tony Tagliavia under News
The opening speaker at the two-day West Michigan Regional Policy Conference is taking the state’s new Michigan Business Tax to task. Robert Genetski, of the free-market focused Heartland Institute, says the MBT will ultimately drag down the state’s tax receipts, meaning less revenue for Michigan.
Genetski also says the state is spending less than average on infrastructure — roads, bridges, etc. — and spending more than average on education and health care.
His opening remarks shed light on the potentially uphill battle business leaders in the region will face trying to convince leaders in Lansing to side with their view. Education leaders in the state believe that most schools in the state are underfunded.
And Genetski is suggesting scrapping the MBT and replacing it with no tax on business at all. That’s something that was discussed last year but didn’t have traction in part because opponents worried it would cost the state too much in lost revenue. But Genetski says over time, the state will lose revenue anyway because the MBT will send businesses and their employees packing.
Keep it here for more updates. Your thoughts?
–Tony
Tags: business tax, business taxes, heartland institute, Michigan, Michigan Business Tax, Michigan taxes, public policy, Taxes, West Michigan
How long will citizens blame the Govenor for this mess? since she took office shes been back into a corner by the Republican run state legislature. These same people who give themselves pay raises and got this state into the debt we are in today. Think before you VOTE!
Stick fork in Michigan Jerry, its done!
Since when does business care about creating jobs? I thought they were just interested in making money.
I’m glad lip service meetings like this take place, they fool the masses into thinking they care about something other than the almighty dollar. Don’t be fooled, if they can outsource or offshore your job to make a quick buck, they will.
2003, Jennifer Granholm “In five years you’ll be blown away”
2008, 8.9 percent unemployment highest in the country two years running
I love how the US economy is Bush’s fault, not the Democrat run Congress, but Michigan’s economy is not Granholm’s fault, it’s the Republican led State Congress. Classic finger pointing politics, meanwhile, nothing gets done.
Lower taxes and more spending. Sorry, the state constitution does not allow deficit budgets. Maybe if we spent more on schools, people like Mr. Genetski would learn to do simple arithmetic.
Hey John,
Great idea, lets vote for higher higher taxes and larger goverment!
new “trickle-down economics”; the middle class’ wealth trickles down while the fat cats get richer
“Hey John,
Great idea, lets vote for higher higher taxes and larger goverment!”
better than lower taxes, bigger government, and a economy in the toliet which is what we have under “W”
Anyone can find a speaker to say what they want to hear. “Free-market focused Heartland Institute” offers the views that the conference creators want to spout. Everyone on this side of the state wants to have their cake “no business taxes” and eat it too “perfect roads and bridges”.
I work for a large company here in West Michigan that cares about its empoyees and cares about keeping jobs in West Michigan. Part of our operation is a call center, which could easily be outsourced to India, the Philippines, or anywhere else in the globe. If this were done the company would save millions of dollars. But, instead 500 people in West Michigan have a job. Don’t be fooled that businesses care only about “the almighty dollar.” There are good business leaders all over who realize that giving people jobs is better for business than saving millions on outsourcing.
My company employs 30 people here in West Michigan – lower taxes would afford me the luxury of adding jobs. And my customers are leaving the state for Indiana, where taxes are lower.
No math needed – lower business taxes = more jobs.
It is rather interesting to see the comments about where to place blame. If we go back 20 years nobody, be it business or Government thought about looking past short term goals and gains. The economy was booming and overtime was abundant even up to 4/5 years ago. I worked in the Delphi-Coopersville Plant that had a great workforce and was a star in GM/Delphi, The plant was closed due to consolidation not outsourcing. It was a political business decision. It was determined it would be cheaper because of tax structure to move the business to Rochester New York. Grand Rapids is proud of the Medical Mile and all the jobs it will bring to the area. The high paying jobs are going to a large portion of experienced people moving into the area. The bulk of the jobs being created will be in the lower end of the service industry. Right now we are in a crisis mode. The auto industry is jumping through hoops to try and change. It could be to late for a Chrysler or a large amount of suppliers. Education is part of the answer but not the immediate cure. You have to forecast and understand where the jobs will be in the next 4 years so those starting out can plan on what they need to do to get there. Alternative energy is a great future but as of right now there is not an infrastructure in place that can deliver it.
This needs-to be built but it will take dollars to do it. Part of how we
all got to where we are at is by short term gratification mentality.
Government needs to cut just like business does. People are fleeing the cities and state but Government hums along and go’s oh my revenues are not what they were and we cannot operate at a deficit. So now we have the knee jerk reaction of what do we cut.
People living paycheck to paycheck very rarely sit down and look at where can I cut cost. This is not to say people are not hurting. I am on a fixed income so I know I have to watch what I do. If not cash do not buy it. Taxation is a short term fix to the situation the State is in. Like with business they need to look at how they can do more with less and work towards that goal. Then we can reduce, tax less and help all the population. Oh,by the way who is paying for Granholm to do her stand in for 4 days?
It’s hard to swallow concerns from the various W. Michigan business leaders as they relate to the business tax, and the desire to eliminate it. Aren’t these leaders the same ones that dwell in posh living environments, like sprawling estates on prime Lake Michigan frontage? If the State taxes their businesses less, do they get more take-home dollars and higher severance packages? The general working class folks of W. Michigan can barely afford to drive their cars back and forth to work every day. I think these business leaders are out of touch, just like our current President.