Treyb's weblog
Posted by Treyb on 02/15/09
A Proposal to Fix Michigan
I. PROPOSAL - The Budget Line Item Proposal
This proposal eliminates all constitutional and statutory restricted funds in the Michigan state budget and limits every budget’s general and miscellaneous category to one percent or less. All funds received will be deposited into the General Fund and must go through the appropriations process. The state departments and the legislature must provide a line item for every expenditure. NOTE: This proposal is being introduced by State Representative Mike Simpson please contact his office and express your support for this proposal. Email: mikesimpson@house.mi.gov Phone: 517-373-1775 or 888-347-8065
II. PROPOSAL - The Regulatory Proposal
This proposal takes away the authority from all Michigan state departments and regulatory groups to make or define rules and regulations, and put that authority back in the hands of the legislature. All current and future regulations will have a three year sunset. Failure to review regulation will automatically eliminate it. Within one year of the passage of this proposal, the legislature will review all existing regulation; any regulations not reviewed would be eliminated. A committee of private sector representatives will be appointed to make recommendations to the legislature to eliminate the top 30 most uncompetitive and job-killing regulations. NOTE: This proposal is being introduced by State Representative Arlan Meekhof please contact his office and express your support for this legislation. I served with Arlan, but I have known him for many years, I respect him as a colleague and appreciate him as a friend. Email: arlanbmekhof@house.mi.gov Phone: 517-373-0838
III. PROPOSAL - Michigan Fair Tax Proposal
Michigan Fair Tax Proposal (Resolution L 2007)
The Michigan Fair Tax Proposal would amend the Constitution of the State of Michigan to eliminate the Michigan Income Tax of 4.35 percent and the Michigan Business Tax and replace those taxes with a 9.75 percent sales tax on all consumer purchases of goods and services, but does not tax business to business transactions. No other statewide tax could be restored, enacted, or the sales tax increased without a vote of the people. The state shall reimburse to every Michigan citizen’s household an amount based on the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines. This proposal would constitutionally guarantee revenue sharing for counties, townships, cities, and villages. NOTE: State Representative Joel Sheltrown is considering reintroducing the MFTP Resolution, please contact his office and express your support and appreciation. I appreciated working with Rep. Sheltrown while in the Legislature, he cares about people, focuses on policy not politics, and is a man of integrity. Email: joelsheltrown@house.mi.gov Phone: 517-373-3817 or 888-347-8103.
COMMENTARY:
PROPOSAL I: The Budget Line Item Proposal
This ballot proposal would constitutionally forbid the Legislature from enacting legislation to restrict or redirect any current or future dollars from the general fund automatically. All dollars received by the state of Michigan will go to the General Fund and be subject to the appropriations process on an annual basis. Each state department’s budget must provide a line item for every expenditure, and have to ask the Legislature for every dollar they receive; no more slush funds, and no more hidden money. Each department budget will be limited to only 1% of the gross amount appropriated by the legislature in that budgets general and miscellaneous categories. The state’s budget must also not have greater than one percent of the total budget in a general or miscellaneous category. Currently, the state legislature has direct control over only 8 to 10 billion dollars. 20 to 25 percent of each individual department budget is in general and miscellaneous categories and has no line item. No one, not the people, not the legislature, not even the governor has any idea what 20 to 25 percent of 44 billion dollars is being spent on. We need transparency, the people need to know how their tax dollars are being spent, the current system is unacceptable and must be changed. If we are to have “representation with taxation,” as our constitution clearly states, then the Legislature must have direct control of more than 10% of the money. (For more information go to www.FultonSheen.us )
PROPSAL II: The Regulatory Proposal
Michigan, California, and New York have more regulations than any of the other states. They are also the top three exit states, from which people and businesses are leaving. Some regulation is necessary, but too much regulation increases the difficulty and time it takes to do business, as well as drives up the cost of doing business. If you make it too difficult, too time consuming, and too costly to do business, businesses will go somewhere else, which is exactly what’s happening. Currently, we have so many regulations there is no way to determine whether they are helping, hurting, or doing anything at all. The three year sunset will require all regulations, which currently exist or are enacted in the future, to be reviewed every three years. Failure to review and renew any regulations within a three year period would mean that they would cease to exist. The authority to make rules and regulate would be removed from the unelected departments, regulators, and bureaucrats and be put back in the hands of the Legislature, where it used to be and where it belongs. (For more information go to www.FultonSheen.us )
PROPSAL III: Michigan Fair Tax Proposal
The MI Fair Tax would raise the current 6% sales tax by 3.75 cents, but residents would now keep 4.35 cents more on every dollar they earn, which is currently taken from their check and sent to the state. The amendment would repeal any statewide tax enacted after January 1, of the year following passage, and no other statewide tax could be restored, or enacted, or the sales tax amount increased without a vote of the people. Elimination of the Personal Property Tax, Gross Receipts Tax, and State Income Tax would make Michigan the least expensive, least cumbersome, easiest to comply with, and most competitive state in the nation. Manufactures will greatly benefit and many will relocate to Michigan in order to take advantage of the lower cost of doing business because of the favorable tax structure. It would constitutionally restrain government from imposing any new statewide taxes. Now everyone would be a part of our state’s tax base; illegal aliens, the underground or under the table economy, and out of state businesses. We would also export a huge amount of our current tax burden to out of state residents. The MI Fair Tax would make government subject to the same economic up turns and down turns as its businesses and its citizens, and allow people to pay tax only on what they purchase. Now what could be fairer than that? (For more information on the MFTP go to: www.FultonSheen.us & www.mifairtax.org )
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Showing comments 1—2 of 2
Posted 04/21/09
tomcat13
West Plains, MO | It looks to me like Michigan is heqaded in the right direction. |
Posted 06/24/09
Dean~Hazel
Monroe, MI | A state sales tax would simplify both the application and collection enforcement problems that now exist with a so-called state income tax. There would be no issues over 4th & 5th Amendment rights and what is or is not "Income." The enforcement expenses now incurred would no longer be necessary and neither would the expense of revenue losses caused by non-compliance and enforcement be realized in the future. |
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Posted by Treyb on 01/27/09
Many people say that politics are the art the possible. I think there is some truth to that.
I have no doubt that many Republicans would get rid of the IRS, the Depts. of Energy and Education if they believed it was possible.
Our task is to make them believe that it is possible to do these things.
And make them believe that unless they do these things they will not have a future in public life.
Categories: Campaign For Liberty, Republican Party
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Showing comments 1—3 of 3
Posted 01/27/09
Fu Manchu
Belleville, MI | LET'S DO IT! |
Posted 01/27/09
Tony DeMott
Ypsilanti, MI | Trey? is that you? |
Posted 05/11/09
R R I M M L P BATMAN
Ann Arbor, MI | I wholeheartedly agree. Overcoming Pessimism (as well as cynicism, for that matter) IS HALF THE BATTLE!!!! Let me know, if I can be of help in any way, shape, form to you, Treyb. Peace.
--Emre N. Kazan |
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