 |
| Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville |
Assuming that the Committee’s two Democratic members, Minority Vice Chair Senator Coleman Young (D-Detroit) and Senator Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) are certain “no” votes, at least three of the four Republican Committee members will have to join Committee Chair Senator Mark Jansen (R-Gaines Township) in supporting the package for it to move to the Senate floor. Chairman Jansen has been a consistent supporter of the proposal. Remaining Republican Committee members are Senators Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba), Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton Township ), Mike Kowall (R-White Lake Township
Richardville, House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) and Governor Rick Snyder reached an agreement on the tax overhaul – and the Speaker has since delivered. The most significant portions of the plan call for the replacement of the much-maligned Michigan Business Tax (MBT) with a 6-percent corporate income tax on C-corporations and the elimination of nearly all individual income tax exemptions and credits – including the exemptions provided to those collecting public and private pensions (through a three-tiered system). It is the pension piece that has the Leader searching for votes.
The legislation could be discharged from the Committee to the full Senate if the votes are not secured at the Committee-level; however, that would do little to move toward the majority vote needed on the Senate floor. Hearings of the Senate panel have been scheduled for May 10th and 11th with a vote tentatively scheduled for the 12th. Richardville is reportedly meeting with his caucus members, working to convince them the proposal is truly a fiscally conservative plan while other caucus members are evidently searching for alternatives to the estimated $300 million in revenue from the pension piece.
Labels: Randy Richardville