Governor combating common sense rather than inflation
Across Macomb County and throughout the state of Michigan, residents have been combating an invisible force that is significantly and negatively impacting their lives.
This force is not a virus, nor invasive species. No, what I am talking about is inflation, which is higher than it’s been in 40 years. Like the wind, you can’t see inflation, but you certainly can feel its effects as it drives up the cost of living.
From food to formula, toilet paper to diapers, and fuel to electricity, virtually everything we buy has gotten more expensive. In fact, numbers show residents are spending, on average, $500 more per month for the same things they bought just a year ago. Consequently, U.S. Census Bureau data shows half of Michigan residents are struggling to pay their bills.
My Republican colleagues and I saw what was happening and took action. We passed two significant, commonsense plans to fight against inflation’s impact on Michigan residents by allowing everyone to keep more of what they earned, so that they could better afford basic necessities — despite skyrocketing prices.
First, we approved a $2.5 billion tax cut plan to lower everyone’s taxes. The plan, which I co-sponsored, would have reduced taxes on senior income, including pensions and retirement savings, by increasing the allowable deduction from $20,000 up to $40,000 for individuals, and from $40,000 up to $80,000 for couples, while also lowering the age of eligibility from 67 to 62 years of age.
Our plan also reduced everyone’s personal income tax rate from 4.25% to 3.9% and created a new $500 per child state tax credit for families with children 19 years and younger.
Next, we approved a plan to save drivers 27 cents per gallon every time they filled up. Suspending the state’s gas and diesel taxes would have saved taxpayers a combined $750 million at the pump throughout the spring and summer of 2022, Michigan’s peak driving season.
Unfortunately, Gov. Whitmer vetoed both of these sensible tax saving plans, despite the state being in a better position to afford them than ever before. With the stroke of her pen, she wiped out billions in taxpayer savings at a time when the state has a record surplus of funds.
The governor chose to maintain excessive levels of taxation — while the state sits on a pile of taxpayer dollars — at the expense of families and retirees. That is not leadership. It’s an abdication of duty to serve the best interests of the people of Michigan. I will continue to fight for taxpayers so they can keep more of what they earn and better afford the Whitmer economy.
Doug Wozniak is a Michigan State Senator representing the 8th Senate District, which includes Mount Clemens, St. Clair Shores, Grosse Pointe Shores, Bruce, Chesterfield, Harrison, Lenox, Ray, Shelby, and Washington townships, and the villages of New Haven and Romeo.
From food to formula, toilet paper to diapers, and fuel to electricity, virtually everything we buy has gotten more expensive. In fact, numbers show residents are spending, on average, $500 more per month for the same things they bought just a year ago. Consequently, U.S. Census Bureau data shows half of Michigan residents are struggling to pay their bills.