Our conservative elected officials have a habit of feeding corporate lobbyists past midnight, causing them to multiply.
You want a $1.8 billion unaccountable tax giveaway? You want fries with that?
You want tax breaks for big oil? Would you like that spoon-fed?
You want to silence the voice of Michigan voters that want a $10.10 minimum wage? Don’t worry, we deliver!
Despite the all you can eat buffet the business lobby has enjoyed from Michigan lawmakers, they just want to keep stuffing their faces — and they don’t want to pay for it.
Enter Charlie Owens, a lobbyist with the National Federation of Independent Businesses, who has a regular seat at the legislative dining table.
He’s lobbying on behalf of businesses who say they want good roads, but Mr. Owens says they don’t want to help pay for them. In short, Mr. Owens wants to have his cake and eat yours too.
Business lobbyists like Mr. Owens will never say, “Ok, we’ve had enough.” It’s good short-term business – in their mind – to take as many tax breaks they can get without paying for it — even when they claim the business climate is improving.
To make Michigan a better state, corporations must pay their fair share. We cannot allow the influence of big businesses to force seniors and working families to shoulder the tax burden. We need a state that works for everyone, not just the wealthy and the well-connected.