Saturday, January 14, 2023

That State Surplus Is $9.2 Billion Of Your Money

Gov Whitmer of course, doesn't want this $9.2 Billion in excess state revenues  going back to the taxpayers, especially not to those who paid the brunt of it.

The Detroit News: Michigan surplus balloons to $9.2B as 'mild recession' looms

To be fair, some of it is also your federal tax money getting doled out to the states along with money borrowed and part of the federal debt that you are on the hook for paying back eventually.

After all, that surplus could be around a $900 check sent to every single Michigan resident whether taxpayer or not.  It would also be a lot higher if it went to taxpayers alone and would mean the cash back check to tax payers would be around $2,250 to each taxpayer, which is not chump change at all.

But, instead of giving it back to taxpayers, or using it to, you know, "fix the damn roads", Whitmer and the Dems want it to go to the tax-takers, of course.

On the upside, given the numbers, all Michigan citizens should see some minor tax relief as by law our state income tax due to this windfall should drop from 4.25% to 4.05% - be interesitng to see if the Democrats interfere with that existing law now that they have the state house, senate and governorship.

Of course, at the same time there is a surplus,  they are also now cheerfully predicting just a "mild recession" this year.  This means you better start battening down the hatches now as their predictions tend to be shall we say, a tad optimistic?  After all, as the saying goes, when the USA catches a cold, Michigan tends to catch the flu.

3 comments:

Old NFO said...

Wow...SO glad I don't live up there!

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Colorado has the Taxpayer bill of Rights (TABOR) as part of our Constitution that requires the State to return excess taxes to the taxpayer. Our (P)regressives hate it and try to find ways to circumvent it. It is probably, along with a balanced budget Constitutional requirement, the only barrier to complete Californifcation of our state. Last return was $720.

pigpen51 said...

Old NFO,
Michigan used to be pretty great. The problem has always been the large contingent of liberal voters, mostly downstate, who continually send idiots to Lansing. This time, they really screwed the pooch. But it is partially the ultra right wing people's fault.
They tried to impeach the Empress of Lansing, Gretchen Whitmer. So of course, she had to raise money to fight that. The impeachment fell apart, but the money she raised did not. She was able to roll that over into her campaign fund, for her successful 2nd term. So sometimes the best laid plans of mice and men, end up screwing yourself.
Now, with a fully Democratic government, it is Katy bar the door, and the Empress of Lansing has already started her gun control language. I don't have an AR 15, but I am considering buying a receiver for one, just to place in my safe, as a hedge against her actions. I hope that the Republicans get their act together and start planning for the next election, especially since Debbie Stabenow has said she is not running for the Senate.