It’s Tax Day in Michigan – the day that many of us will rush to our nearest post office or computer to file our taxes in time. The long lines, the news coverage and people dressed up like the Statue of Liberty urging us to give their tax service a try have become traditions each tax season.
But lately, things don’t feel the same for hardworking Michigan taxpayers. In the last few years, things have changed. Under Gov. Rick Snyder the average person pays more in state taxes. How you ask? Let’s count the ways.
Under Governor Snyder, Michigan’s middle-class and working poor have seen:
- Elimination of the Child Tax Credit
- Reduction of the Earned Income Tax Credit
- Reduction in the Homestead Tax Credit
- Tax credits for donations to universities, food banks, homeless shelters and others eliminated
- Credits for income taxes paid to cities are gone
- Credits for adopting a child eliminated
- A retirement tax on seniors’ pensions implemented
All of these new taxes were used to pay for a $1.8 billion tax giveaway for corporations – despite the fact that the massive tax cut hasn’t moved the needle on unemployment, as Michigan still has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation.
After three years, the verdict is in on Governor Snyder’s tax priorities: Hardworking Michiganders pay more and corporations and CEOs pay less, all while our schools struggle, our roads crumble and the promise of new jobs never materialized.
If you’re one of the few that benefited from Governor Snyder’s massive tax shift, today is a day to celebrate. But, if you’re a worker, a retiree, a student or any other person paying more – don’t forget to file on time and don’t forget who raised your taxes.
Thanks for putting listing it so concisely. This is what we need to show people just what has happened here in Michigan. We have got to get good people in office to fight against these unfair tax exemptions for the big business paid for by the middle class, working poor and seniors.
Dear Governor Snyder, I am a retired state employee. I have lived and paid taxes in Michigan all my life. I was told during the course of my employment that my pension would not be taxed. As an encouragement to retire, a slight increase in state employees’ pension was given. Within months of being retired, you taxed state employees’ pensions. Then you gave business corporations a tax break as an incentive to come to Michigan. Who are you really there for? I know that it is not the Michigan citizen. What other “shannigans” have you managed to pull off? I voted for you the first time, I won’t make that mistake again!