Gov. Rick Sndyer must be rejoicing over this one. In recent days he
has proposed two budget items that many conservatives would consider a
tax increase even though he doesn't like that moniker. Even non-career
politicians know that tax increases are a big no-no.
He wants to freeze the income tax rate at 4.25% when it was slated
to eventually fall to 3.9%.
Years ago when then Gov. Jennifer Granhom wanted to freeze an income
tax rate reduction, then state GOP chairwoman Betsy DeVos denounced it
the stunt as a tax increase and urged all upstanding Republican
lawmakers to stand her down.
When Gov. Snyder took the same course, there was dead silence from
the current state GOP chair and even those conservatives who are
loathed to raise taxes, said nothing about this freeze.
The governor has also embraced slapping the income tax on public and
private pensions owed by senior citizens.
Again he won't use the tax increase label but concedes that for
some it means they will pay more to the state which is just a thinly
disguised way of saying tax hike.
But he needs votes to do that and how can he convince lawmakers,
who have signed the no tax pledge, to pony up a yes vote?
Here's were the rejoicing comes in.
The Americans for Tax Reform, which swears by the no-tax pledge and
swears at those who won't take it, has granted Michigan signers a bye.
The 22 current legislators who have promised never to raises taxes
can vote for this one because the ATF declares that "would not violate
their promise" since it would result in an overall tax reduction in the
business tax.
So when is a tax increase, not a tax increase, when the anti-tax
crowd says so.
But alas even the free get-out-of-jail card won't work as some
nervous Republicans won't vote for this stuff anyway.