Granholm signs budget-balancing bills
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed several bills intended to balance the state budget by cutting spending and delaying January's income tax cut by six months.

Seventy-five percent of 600 likely voters who responded to a telephone poll conducted by Lansing-based EPIC/MRA said they did not consider the income tax cut delay a tax increase. Thirteen percent said they did consider it a tax increase and 12 percent either did not know or were undecided. The statewide poll, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, was conducted Dec. 17 through Tuesday.

Another tax credit signed Tuesday is intended to keep Swedish-owned Electrolux AB at its refrigerator manufacturing plant in Greenville rather than move production to Mexico. The credit is for businesses that make a capital investment of $100 million over five years and have agreed to maintain at least 1,500 jobs at the facility without permanent reduction in full-time employment except through attrition or retirement.

"They honestly said this is purely an economic case," Granholm told The Grand Rapids Press in Greenville. "If we could put enough assistance on the table that was annualized, they would certainly consider staying."

I wonder about the precedent set with the Electrolux deal. Will every business now want state money to stay in the country? Can we afford that?

Congrats to Gov. Granholm on getting the tax pause through! Merry Christmas Republicans!