(Un)Happy Income Tax Hike Day!

October 8, 2007

Today is Income Tax Hike Day in the State of Michigan. This is the sad day when Michigan's income tax goes up from 3.9% to 4.35% -- a whopping increase of 11.5%. Today is also the day when the 6% sales tax expands to many services.

This $1.35 billion tax hike is among the largest in Michigan history. Since 2001, Michigan has steadily risen among a ranking of the states with the highest state and local tax burden, according to the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C., advocacy group. With the current 11.5 percent income tax increase, Michigan now ranks 11th, up from 14th, in the percentage of personal income paid out in taxes.

This is definitely NOT a day of celebration, but rather one of mourning. The political wizards in Lansing have decided that the best way to "improve" our state's very poor economy is to raise taxes. Take money away from people and businesses who desperately need it, and give it to the politicians so they can spend it.

Not much common-sense here, if you ask us!

Yes, Michigan faces a tough budget situation, one which directly impacts Shelby Township residents. Lost revenue sharing dollars has hit our township, as it has communities across Macomb County and the State of Michigan. We have heard repeatedly how this situation has negatively impacted our township, but what happens now? Will our township get our revenue-sharing dollars back, since Lansing politicians now have more money to spend? We highly doubt it, but we'll reserve judgment for now.

Instead of seriously addressing budget reductions, our lawmakers have opted to raise income taxes. They are also expanding the service tax to hit more small businesses. Not only that, they are also talking about raising the sales tax again. This is bad news for us, but even worse news for politicians. Remember, they have to come and ask for our votes in 2008.

Now, weigh that situation against what is happening in our beloved Shelby Township. $kip Maccarone, the township Supervisor, eagerly wants to build his $50 million "campus." He says it can be done without higher taxes. Apparently things are so golden in Shelby that $kip wants to soak us for another $50 million.

But it doesn't take a wizard to realize that the township DOES NOT have the money to build, operate and maintain $kip's "campus" without a large influx of additional funds. Those funds will come from US. This is why $kip's plan is being met with such skepticism from the rest of the Board of Trustees -- and a great deal of mistrust from taxpayers. This is compounded when $kip tells us that he was elected to make spending decisions like this, without asking the people what we think. Not only is that arrogant -- it is WRONG.

Shelby taxpayers are just ordinary men and women. We work for a living, pay our federal income taxes, rising state income taxes, sales taxes, township fees, property assessments and millages. At the same time, we are also trying to to put food on our table, put gas in our cars, pay our mortgages, heating bills, light bills, take care of our families, while trying to save for our kids' college education and our retirement. It is not easy, especially when the politicians keep grabbing more and more of our cash, but we do it everyday.

Now, tell us to fork over another $50 million so that $kip can build his grandiose township campus, and listen to our response: "Go away $kip and take your campus plan with you." What amazes us most is that $kip seems puzzled that Shelby taxpayers doubt his promise to do more with less?

At a time when Michigan faces difficult finances and a weak economy, $kip keeps telling us that Shelby Township is in terrific financial shape. Apparently, although Michigan is suffering, $kip Maccarone's Shelby Township is a financial island all to itself -- untouched by the outside world.

The people aren't dumb. We know a political bamboozle when we see or hear it. What $kip is doing is trying to sell us something that we can't afford. Like a used car salesman, $kip is telling us that we can afford the higher-priced vehicle, with all the extras, when what we really need, and what we can afford, is basic, reliable transportation.

For $kip, spending $20 million for a police-court building makes perfect sense, and spending $23 million ($3 million over initial projections!) for this building is EVEN BETTER. Watch your wallet Shelby Township taxpayers, because the price will probably go up yet again, and they haven't even broken ground yet!

Spend ... spend... spend. Sadly, that's all most politicians can think about. True, there are those wise elected officials in our township and in Lansing who understand that government money is OUR money, but there are not enough of these people to go around. So the result is that we get stuck with decisions like this, that end up sticking it to taxpayers.

We think that $kip should stop trying to spend our township broke and do something to cut our township spending. This is why taxpayers are rightfully cynical when we hear promises that our township can easily afford to spend $50 million -- and it won't have any impact on our family budgets. Who is $kip trying to fool?

Times are tough, and they require tough choices. Supervisor $kip Maccarone doesn't want to make them (and apparently neither do some politicians in Lansing) so we need someone who will.

As far as we're concerned, 2008 can't here get fast enough!

Until then, break out the Kleenex and join others protesting Income Tax Hike Day. By the time the politicians are finished we will all be crying the POCKETBOOK BLUES.

Remember Shelby taxpayers, if you have something to share with us, send an e-mail to stopskip08@aol.com.