The poll found support for a mix of new tax revenue and budget cuts to erase a potential $1.8-billion deficit next year. (The administration has estimated the deficit at $1.5 million.)
When told that a lame economy would mean schools will have no additional revenue next year to restore budget cuts they’ve experienced this year, 61% said the state should increase taxes, while 29% said the budget cuts should remain.
Too bad our Legislature is filled with a bunch of self-serving gutless wonders that won't do the right thing for our state and our kids. What, don't like that statement? Prove me wrong then. I dare you. Stand up for once in your lives. I don't want to hear about how "you don't know what the Party stands for" or "how much your wife misses you" because you work soooo hard. My God, don't you know how bad you sound? Who is running the messaging down there? Seriously, what in the world did you run for office for in the first place?
Scary thing is - the longer you screw around, running your mouths at campaign stops and not doing your job in Lansing, the more support starts to slip on some of these issues. Already support has dropped for Granholm's retirement plan, service tax support is going down as well - but people want to get specific on those, which we all know will never fly due to the lobbyists in Lansing calling all the shots.
The poll, commissioned by the liberal coalition A Better Michigan Future, also found slipping support for Granholm’s proposal to cut the sales tax from 6% to 5.5% and apply it to dozens of services that are not now taxes.
But voters would support, 56% to 43%, a new sales tax on “luxury services such as arts, entertainment and recreation,” according to the poll.
They also want to cut business tax breaks, which we all know you won't do either.
Voters by a 2-1 ratio support reducing or eliminating business tax breaks that have not created or preserved jobs in Michigan – even if it means tax increases for businesses, the poll found.
Governor Granholm said again today that she will veto any budget that cuts the schools. Good. Better get that pen warmed up, because I don't see Dillon as being able to control this bunch, and he's going to end up passing a Republican budget once again. Mark my words. Sometimes I even feel sorry for the guy - but then I realize that he is most of the problem here.
It's almost May. Where is the House Democrats budget plan?
INSTANT UPDATE: WOOD TV, bless their hearts, put the whole poll up verbatim for all to see (Word doc). It's pretty detailed on the proposals, and broken down into partisan responses. Here is the one thing that leaps off the page - "64% supports at least some level of taxes to resolve the budget". And here is how it is being described:
The poll, conducted by Epic MRA, shows 60% of those surveyed say it's more important for lawmakers to preserve programs like education, law enforcement and jobs programs. Only 22% say it's more important to control taxes.
Take a look, lots to chew on there.