Posted on 04/06/2006 12:03:19 PM PDT by Kieri
Granholm appoints new state treasurer 4/6/2006, 12:56 p.m. ET By DAVID EGGERT The Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Thursday tapped an economist who 30 years ago helped create the state's Single Business Tax to join her cabinet as the new state treasurer.
Robert Kleine, a former director of the state Office of Revenue and Tax Analysis, will replace Jay Rising, who resigned in late February to become vice president and chief financial officer for the Detroit Medical Center hospital system.
The treasurer oversees the collection, investment and disbursement of state money.
"It is a challenging job," Granholm said at a news conference announcing the appointment. "I know he will do it well."
Kleine, an East Lansing economist, began his career with state government nearly 40 years ago in Republican Gov. Bill Milliken's administration. He later went into the private sector, conducting research for a public policy firm.
Like Rising, Kleine figures to be heavily involved in trying to restructure or replace the SBT, the state's main business tax.
Granholm last year proposed dropping it from 1.9 percent to 1.2 percent, the lowest rate in the tax's 30-year history. The Republican-controlled Legislature rejected the "revenue-neutral" plan, however, because it would have raised taxes on insurers.
Last week, Granholm vetoed a GOP bill that would have ended the SBT in late 2007, two years earlier than planned, because there was no guarantee that any replacement tax would bring in as much revenue for education, health care and other state services.
so goes life in the peoples democratic republik of michigan.........a socialist utopia.....
Last person out of Michigan, please turn out the lights.
yanno, if the state would quit giving away so much money in various forms of welfare, we wouldn't need all these taxes.
The weird thing about this is that Granholm has nothing left to campaign on! She can't even claim she's preserved social services in spite of cuts because of the Ricky Holland case.
The woman doesn't have a political leg to stand on, so she's going to give everything to Detroit.
I can hear her now: "Help me, Obi-wan Kilpatrick! You're my only hope!"
I suppose cutting spending to make up for the lost revenue is out of the question?
we are one of only 4 states with guaranteed lifetime welfare benefits........the only people punished financially are business owners and property owners.....and people with jobs.......
yeah, cut police, fire, but raise medicare, medicaid, welfare, adc, and all other social programs.....meantime, our roads SUCK.........
"meantime, our roads SUCK........."
Tell me about it, joe...
I had the joy of plunging into a Granholm pothole about a foot deep. Hubcap flew off, the tire went "Bang!" and the rim was bent 90 degrees out of true.
Cost me $140 for a new tire and rim
If we could get our gutless state republican leadership to post poll watchers in Detroit to just count heads with a video for backup, that commie Granholm wouldn't get even 30% of the vote in November.
And no, I don't believe the propaganda polls showing that Bezerkely reject with a 50% approval rating.
Uhhuhh huuhhuh maybe he tapped her
Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Thursday tapped an economist who 30 years ago helped create the state's Single Business Tax to join her cabinet as the new state treasurer... Granholm last year proposed dropping it from 1.9 percent to 1.2 percent, the lowest rate in the tax's 30-year history. The Republican-controlled Legislature rejected the "revenue-neutral" plan, however, because it would have raised taxes on insurers. Last week, Granholm vetoed a GOP bill that would have ended the SBT in late 2007, two years earlier than planned, because there was no guarantee that any replacement tax would bring in as much revenue for education, health care and other state services.Screw "revenue neutral". Tax cuts mean growth -- something understood quite well by JFK as well as RWR.
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