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[Michigan's GOP] Speaker supports higher cigarette tax than [its liberal Democrat] governor
MILIVE ^
| 3/17/2004
| AMY F. BAILEY
Posted on 03/18/2004 6:21:13 AM PST by ClintonBeGone
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — State House Speaker Rick Johnson said Wednesday he supports increasing the state cigarette tax by 81 cents instead of the 75 cents proposed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
The Democratic governor proposed raising the tax on cigarettes from $1.25 to $2 per pack to help make up for lost federal dollars and encourage people to stop smoking.
Granholm's proposal would make Michigan's cigarette tax the nation's second-highest behind New Jersey's $2.05-per-pack tax.
Johnson, a Republican from LeRoy, said Michigan should have the highest tax on cigarettes in the country.
"Number 1!" he shouted from his desk toward reporters seated a short distance away on the floor of the House chamber.
Johnson said an 81-cent increase in the state cigarette tax would help prevent young people from starting to smoke.
Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd would say Wednesday only that the administration is looking forward to the Legislature approving a higher tax on cigarettes.
Raising cigarette taxes to help balance the state's bottom line isn't a new trick. Michigan raised its cigarette tax from 25 cents to 75 cents per pack in 1994 and from 75 cents to $1.25 per pack in 2002.
Johnson may have to go around House Commerce Committee Chairman Clark Bisbee, R-Jackson, to get the cigarette tax bill to the full House. Bisbee said this week he wouldn't allow his panel to send the bill to the full House.
"I am against the increase in sin taxes, as are the majority of Republicans on the committee," he said in a news release. "It is a financial nightmare for all businesses in the state, especially in our border counties."
Despite Bisbee's opposition, Johnson said he's committed to moving the bill to the House, where Republicans have a 63-46 majority and there is one vacancy.
"I'll do what I have to do to get the bill to the House floor," he said. "We'll look at that next week."
Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, R-Wyoming, has not said whether the 75-cent cigarette tax hike would win the support of Senate Republicans who have a 22-16 majority in that chamber.
__
The cigarette tax bill is House Bill 5632.
TOPICS: Announcements; Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: chimneypeople; cigarettes; increase; pufflist; rino; sintaxes; smoking; tax; taxes
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For our friends in Michigan, what you're seeing is a step-by-step plan in how to lose a Republican majority in the legislature. First, the Republican legislature gave in to Granholm and paused Engler's income tax reduction, now they want HIGHER taxes on smokes than she does.
This teaches us to never elect a farmer or someone from Grand Rapids to be your legislative leader.
To: Dan from Michigan
Michigan tax increase bump
2
posted on
03/18/2004 6:24:02 AM PST
by
ClintonBeGone
(John Kerry is the Democrat's Bob Dole)
To: ClintonBeGone
Heres a novel idea.
SPENDING CUTS NOT HIGHER TAXES.
3
posted on
03/18/2004 6:24:17 AM PST
by
cripplecreek
(you tell em i'm commin.... and hells commin with me.)
To: ClintonBeGone
You beat me to the post.
The GOP in Michigan is starting to make me hurl.
To: ClintonBeGone
Thank God for term limits.......
5
posted on
03/18/2004 6:27:32 AM PST
by
Dan from Michigan
(""....but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America"")
To: ClintonBeGone
They increase the taxes while saying that it "for the children" and how it will "save lives". What he needs to do is to force their hypocracy into the open. Propose a $20 per pack cigarette tax and use their same arguments.
6
posted on
03/18/2004 6:27:58 AM PST
by
Blood of Tyrants
(Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn’t be, in its eyes, a slave.)
To: ClintonBeGone
Clark Bisbee is my state congressman who's running for Nick Smith's seat this fall. I've already volunteered to work on Bisbee's campaign. The guy is terrific, especially in light of Smith's disappointing waffle, which is now under investigation.
7
posted on
03/18/2004 6:31:02 AM PST
by
Kieri
(Who's waiting for the return of her beloved Farscape!)
To: ClintonBeGone; SheLion
Go to your local smoke shop and sign the petition to stop this tax.
While you are there, if you smoke, get an injector machine, some tubes and loose tobacco. Screw the lot of them.
If someone wanted a fair tax (not that I'm for any tax at all), they would tax milk.
8
posted on
03/18/2004 6:37:56 AM PST
by
netmilsmom
(Jonathansmommie's daughter was born 3-11-04, God Bless her!)
To: Kieri; Dan from Michigan
Clark Bisbee is my state congressman who's running for Nick Smith's seat this fall. I've already volunteered to work on Bisbee's campaign. The guy is terrific, especially in light of Smith's disappointing waffle, which is now under investigation.
I'm not sure Bisbee isn't opposing the tax just because of his GOP primary for congress. He's certainly been no friend to conservatives when I comes to CCW or gun rights. I think Dan can back me up on that.
9
posted on
03/18/2004 6:42:42 AM PST
by
ClintonBeGone
(John Kerry is the Democrat's Bob Dole)
To: netmilsmom
This will just put another $8.00 a carton in the pocket of smugglers and black marketers. Then you'll hear them (continue to) whine about the loss of tax revenue to the internet, blah blah blah. I swear the Michigan GOP has lost its mind.
10
posted on
03/18/2004 6:44:30 AM PST
by
ClintonBeGone
(John Kerry is the Democrat's Bob Dole)
To: cripplecreek
SPENDING CUTS NOT HIGHER TAXES.
How soon they forgot Ronald Reagan.
11
posted on
03/18/2004 6:45:12 AM PST
by
ClintonBeGone
(John Kerry is the Democrat's Bob Dole)
To: 11th Earl of Mar
The GOP in Michigan is starting to make me hurl.
Sad that they can't pass a simple amendment to the constitution to protect marriage, yet they're all drooling over the chance to raise taxes.
12
posted on
03/18/2004 6:46:42 AM PST
by
ClintonBeGone
(John Kerry is the Democrat's Bob Dole)
To: ClintonBeGone
I'm not sure Bisbee isn't opposing the tax just because of his GOP primary for congress. He's certainly been no friend to conservatives when I comes to CCW or gun rights. I think Dan can back me up on that.Seriously? I guess I'm going to have to dig into his voting record.Nick Smith (Bob Smith's son) seems like he's a nice guy, but he's a farmer/lawyer and the obvious nepotisim bothers me.
13
posted on
03/18/2004 6:48:29 AM PST
by
Kieri
(Who's waiting for the return of her beloved Farscape!)
To: ClintonBeGone; Kieri
Bisbee is good on business and tax issues. I'll give him credit for that. I suspect that's because he's a business owner himself.
But when it comes to the 2nd amendment, he can not be counted on, despite what his campaign website says.
He voted against the conceal carry bill every time it was up.
14
posted on
03/18/2004 6:49:23 AM PST
by
Dan from Michigan
(""....but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America"")
To: cripplecreek
SPENDING CUTS NOT HIGHER TAXES.Michigan GOP doesn't have the guts to cut spending, because here are the major cuts they could choose from: School Aid, higher education, reimbursement rates to doctors and hospitals for Medicaid, full elimination of Medicaid coverage for nursing homes or pharmaceuticals, reducing aid to local governments, or releasing non-violent prisoners early.
Now for their excuses for not making those cuts: School aid and higher ed are out because "it's about the children". Medicaid provider rates are out because the providers have powerful lobbyists and docs and hospitals give a lot of money to Republicans. Throwing grandma out of the nursing home or cutting off pharmaceuticals are out because of the political fallout, reducing aid to locals makes local Republican officials angry, and releasing non-violent prisoners looks soft on crime.
In other words, they don't have the guts to take on special interests, particularly not the school lobby.
To: Dan from Michigan
Thank God for term limits.......
Dan, I'm not sure that term limits isn't part of the reason for this. I still support term limits, but this is clearly a result because many that will vote for this tax increase will never have to be held accountable for what they've done.
16
posted on
03/18/2004 6:50:16 AM PST
by
ClintonBeGone
(John Kerry is the Democrat's Bob Dole)
To: Dan from Michigan
I heard Ted Nugent endorsed Gene DeRossett as well.
17
posted on
03/18/2004 6:51:04 AM PST
by
Dan from Michigan
(""....but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America"")
To: Kieri
Kieri, I'll be honest with you, I don't think you have a very good selection of people in that primary. They're all RINOS IMHO. Schwartz is liberal, Deweese is a union lacky, and Bisbee is no friend of gun owners. Like you, I wouldn't trust Smith's son either. For some reason all with a farm background have that Bob Dole approach to legislating. They hate to rock the boat.
I want a man (or woman) that is going to create a sunami, not someone that puts on a life vest and sits in the corner hoping for clear sailing.
18
posted on
03/18/2004 6:53:57 AM PST
by
ClintonBeGone
(John Kerry is the Democrat's Bob Dole)
To: Numbers Guy
In other words, they don't have the guts to take on special interests, particularly not the school lobby.
You make some very valid points and I agree with all of them. The irony is that early in her administration, Granholm actually had the guts to take on higher education. They spanked her and she shut up. But at least she b*tched a bit about excess tuition increases and had a plan to deal with them. More than the GOP has proposed.
19
posted on
03/18/2004 6:56:19 AM PST
by
ClintonBeGone
(John Kerry is the Democrat's Bob Dole)
To: ClintonBeGone
Schwartz is liberal Understatement. He's worse than McCain
20
posted on
03/18/2004 6:56:32 AM PST
by
Dan from Michigan
(""....but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America"")
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