Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
In the meantime, Jace Bolger, who was Speaker of the
(00:02):
House and is the President and CEO of the West
Michigan Policy Forum, is keeping his eyes on our well
being when it comes to finances and when it comes
to the health of the state of Michigan. The Coalition
to Stop the Business and Family Tax Hike filed a
cease and desist motion in fact for the signature gathering,
(00:22):
and he's going to tell us all about it right now.
Welcome back to the airwaves.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Well, good morning, Michael Patrick. Good to be with you
and your inform listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Well, thank you. One of the reasons we're informed is
people like you and this coalition, so there was you're
calling it the business and family tax hike. I'm sure
that's not what they said when they were trying to
gather signatures from people.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
No, and it's held up. I think there should be
held up in a cloud of confusion. This is a
danger that is heading to our state, largely an invading
danger funded by out of special interests. But the voters
need to understand clearly what this would do. And so
there is a process that people who want to circulate
(01:05):
petitions go to the border canvassers, and the Border Canvassers
is purposely split two Republicans and two Democrats, and so
they have to agree on a bipartisan basis on things
like the hundred word description so that voters understand what
they're being asked to sign. And it's been standard practice
to go get that reapproval. But this group that's advocating
(01:27):
for this massive tax fike, this more than doubling of
the income tax on small businesses, refused to be clear
about what they were seeking to do. And they say
they're going to the field or in other words, going
to the voters without that clarity. And so this other coalition,
the Coalition and Stop Business and Family Tax Sites, issued
(01:49):
a cease and desist letter and requested that they go
back to the Border canvassers and get the clarity that
voters deserve.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
So the people who are already gathering signs, what are
they calling it and what are they telling people it
is when they ask them for the signatures.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Well, they're claiming that it would tax the rich, which
is false. The over two thirds of the payers of
this would be small businesses. And they're saying it would
fund the classrooms, which also is misleading because the funds
would be subject to actions of the legislature. There is
no guarantee that this would yield more money into classrooms.
People ask all the time, isn't that just like the lottery?
(02:28):
Absolutely that the legislature would get the money, but they've
got control of so much other money. There's an actual
term for it, supplanting. They can push that money, the
effects of that money elsewhere while keeping true to the
words on this ballot petition with they wouldn't keep true
to what There's no guarantee that they would do is
(02:48):
ultimately get more money into school classrooms where our kids
deserve better. Michigan is failing. We're seeing other states that
spend less surpassing us. So Michigan's situation right now where
our taxpayers are spending more but our kids are getting less.
So because of the impact on small business, because of
the damage it would do to the economy, because of
(03:11):
the lack of ultimate guarantee to help our kids. I
say that our workers and our kids deserve better.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
This question might be better for the likes of somebody
like John Peerrich, but can you collect signatures that are
valid if you have an unapproved ballot initiative.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
What it does is it opens up a potential later fight,
a later legal challenge, and that's the reason to go
get the pre approval so that you take that off
the table, that cloud off the table, and so there
could be another round of legal fights and they've got
the opportunity to remove that. All they have to go
do is be sensible before the board of canvassers, be
clear to the voters that this would more than double
(03:53):
the tax on small business and there is no guarantee
that the money would end up as a net increase
to classrooms.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
And what you're signing when you stand out in front
of a Myer store and somebody says, hey, can you
sign this to tax the rich and make sure they
pay their fair share or whatever slugline they're saying to
get people to do it. That language that's on that
petition is not yet approved and therefore would not be
the language that would eventually be used in the in
(04:20):
the ballot at the polls.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
It's not certain that it would be no because it
is not approved. You've categorized that directly, and so I
would urge voters not to sign.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Declin sign like a giant waste of time for them.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Right, it could be if there's a legal challenge later
and the courts agreed, yes, it could be. And again
they've got the opportunity to remove that. They just have
to be reasonable.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
So for the average person, the action right now is
if someone approaches you with that, you should be aware
that what you're signing may not be at all what
ends up in front of the voters.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Decline to sign workers and students deserve better. I can
tell your friends and family and neighbors that they're out
there trying to mislead people. Don't fall for.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
It, okay, And often those people are paid to get signatures.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yes, they often are. Yeah, it's unclear in this effort
who will be doing it, but it's very typically the case.
And so people who are circulating will often say or
do anything to get a signature because that's how they
get paid. And the courts of rule is up to
the voter to know what they're signing. So voters, be careful,
understand what you're being asked to sign, and in this case,
(05:31):
if it's this issue, and be very clear that you're
not going to be misled and that you're going to.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Decline to sign Thank you very much. Jace Bulger, former
Speaker of the House. He's the president and CEO of
the West Michigan Policy Forum. Someone wants your signature, and
what they want to do is raise the taxes on
business and families.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
People can't have access to quality medical care without affordable
health insurance. At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, we
understand increasing health insurance costs are becoming more of a
strain on the budgets of the businesses and people we serve.
Affordability matters. It affects real families, real decisions, and real care.
That's why at Blue Cross were dedicated to finding solutions
(06:18):
to learn about this critical issue in our efforts to
make healthcare affordable for all. VISITMI blue Daily dot com
slash affordability today.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Whether they're dough boys, comments or even gremlins. Every public
school in Michigan is proud to be known for something,
and at the Michigan Lottery, we're proud to be known
for something too. Education. I'm Lottery Commissioner Susanna Shcrelli, and
one hundred percent of our profits go to support the
State School Aid Fund. Last year, the lottery contributed over
one billion dollars, So whatever hometown school you're from, we're
(06:49):
rooting for all of them. Michigan Lottery for Fun for schools.
Speaker 5 (06:53):
Knowing your limits as always the best BacT.
Speaker 6 (06:57):
Dean's Transportation is looking for compassionate people to join our
team of school bus drivers and attendants. Visit deanjobs dot
com to see all openings. Dean Transportation provides paid training
to obtain a commercial driver's license, Increased starting pay, comprehensive benefits,
and flexible schedules with no weekend shifts, no experience needed.
(07:19):
Apply today at Dean jobs dot com and train for
back to school season. That's da n jobs dot com.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
Change is bright. It's a clean energy future fueled by
fields of solar. It's led lighting in every home, and
Consumers Energy is making it happen with their industry leading
clean energy plan. This year, They're going all in on
their commitment to protecting the planet while serving nearly seven
(07:49):
million Michigan neighbors. Learn more and join the movement at
Consumers Energy dot com. Slash clean Energy
In the meantime, Jace Bolger, who was Speaker of the
(00:02):
House and is the President and CEO of the West
Michigan Policy Forum, is keeping his eyes on our well
being when it comes to finances and when it comes
to the health of the state of Michigan. The Coalition
to Stop the Business and Family Tax Hike filed a
cease and desist motion in fact for the signature gathering,
(00:22):
and he's going to tell us all about it right now.
Welcome back to the airwaves.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Well, good morning, Michael Patrick. Good to be with you
and your inform listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Well, thank you. One of the reasons we're informed is
people like you and this coalition, so there was you're
calling it the business and family tax hike. I'm sure
that's not what they said when they were trying to
gather signatures from people.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
No, and it's held up. I think there should be
held up in a cloud of confusion. This is a
danger that is heading to our state, largely an invading
danger funded by out of special interests. But the voters
need to understand clearly what this would do. And so
there is a process that people who want to circulate
(01:05):
petitions go to the border canvassers, and the Border Canvassers
is purposely split two Republicans and two Democrats, and so
they have to agree on a bipartisan basis on things
like the hundred word description so that voters understand what
they're being asked to sign. And it's been standard practice
to go get that reapproval. But this group that's advocating
(01:27):
for this massive tax fike, this more than doubling of
the income tax on small businesses, refused to be clear
about what they were seeking to do. And they say
they're going to the field or in other words, going
to the voters without that clarity. And so this other coalition,
the Coalition and Stop Business and Family Tax Sites, issued
(01:49):
a cease and desist letter and requested that they go
back to the Border canvassers and get the clarity that
voters deserve.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
So the people who are already gathering signs, what are
they calling it and what are they telling people it
is when they ask them for the signatures.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Well, they're claiming that it would tax the rich, which
is false. The over two thirds of the payers of
this would be small businesses. And they're saying it would
fund the classrooms, which also is misleading because the funds
would be subject to actions of the legislature. There is
no guarantee that this would yield more money into classrooms.
People ask all the time, isn't that just like the lottery?
(02:28):
Absolutely that the legislature would get the money, but they've
got control of so much other money. There's an actual
term for it, supplanting. They can push that money, the
effects of that money elsewhere while keeping true to the
words on this ballot petition with they wouldn't keep true
to what There's no guarantee that they would do is
(02:48):
ultimately get more money into school classrooms where our kids
deserve better. Michigan is failing. We're seeing other states that
spend less surpassing us. So Michigan's situation right now where
our taxpayers are spending more but our kids are getting less.
So because of the impact on small business, because of
the damage it would do to the economy, because of
(03:11):
the lack of ultimate guarantee to help our kids. I
say that our workers and our kids deserve better.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
This question might be better for the likes of somebody
like John Peerrich, but can you collect signatures that are
valid if you have an unapproved ballot initiative.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
What it does is it opens up a potential later fight,
a later legal challenge, and that's the reason to go
get the pre approval so that you take that off
the table, that cloud off the table, and so there
could be another round of legal fights and they've got
the opportunity to remove that. All they have to go
do is be sensible before the board of canvassers, be
clear to the voters that this would more than double
(03:53):
the tax on small business and there is no guarantee
that the money would end up as a net increase
to classrooms.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
And what you're signing when you stand out in front
of a Myer store and somebody says, hey, can you
sign this to tax the rich and make sure they
pay their fair share or whatever slugline they're saying to
get people to do it. That language that's on that
petition is not yet approved and therefore would not be
the language that would eventually be used in the in
(04:20):
the ballot at the polls.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
It's not certain that it would be no because it
is not approved. You've categorized that directly, and so I
would urge voters not to sign.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Declin sign like a giant waste of time for them.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Right, it could be if there's a legal challenge later
and the courts agreed, yes, it could be. And again
they've got the opportunity to remove that. They just have
to be reasonable.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
So for the average person, the action right now is
if someone approaches you with that, you should be aware
that what you're signing may not be at all what
ends up in front of the voters.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Decline to sign workers and students deserve better. I can
tell your friends and family and neighbors that they're out
there trying to mislead people. Don't fall for.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
It, okay, And often those people are paid to get signatures.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yes, they often are. Yeah, it's unclear in this effort
who will be doing it, but it's very typically the case.
And so people who are circulating will often say or
do anything to get a signature because that's how they
get paid. And the courts of rule is up to
the voter to know what they're signing. So voters, be careful,
understand what you're being asked to sign, and in this case,
(05:31):
if it's this issue, and be very clear that you're
not going to be misled and that you're going to.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Decline to sign Thank you very much. Jace Bulger, former
Speaker of the House. He's the president and CEO of
the West Michigan Policy Forum. Someone wants your signature, and
what they want to do is raise the taxes on
business and families.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
People can't have access to quality medical care without affordable
health insurance. At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, we
understand increasing health insurance costs are becoming more of a
strain on the budgets of the businesses and people we serve.
Affordability matters. It affects real families, real decisions, and real care.
That's why at Blue Cross were dedicated to finding solutions
(06:18):
to learn about this critical issue in our efforts to
make healthcare affordable for all. VISITMI blue Daily dot com
slash affordability today.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Whether they're dough boys, comments or even gremlins. Every public
school in Michigan is proud to be known for something,
and at the Michigan Lottery, we're proud to be known
for something too. Education. I'm Lottery Commissioner Susanna Shcrelli, and
one hundred percent of our profits go to support the
State School Aid Fund. Last year, the lottery contributed over
one billion dollars, So whatever hometown school you're from, we're
(06:49):
rooting for all of them. Michigan Lottery for Fun for schools.
Speaker 5 (06:53):
Knowing your limits as always the best BacT.
Speaker 6 (06:57):
Dean's Transportation is looking for compassionate people to join our
team of school bus drivers and attendants. Visit deanjobs dot
com to see all openings. Dean Transportation provides paid training
to obtain a commercial driver's license, Increased starting pay, comprehensive benefits,
and flexible schedules with no weekend shifts, no experience needed.
(07:19):
Apply today at Dean jobs dot com and train for
back to school season. That's da n jobs dot com.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
Change is bright. It's a clean energy future fueled by
fields of solar. It's led lighting in every home, and
Consumers Energy is making it happen with their industry leading
clean energy plan. This year, They're going all in on
their commitment to protecting the planet while serving nearly seven
(07:49):
million Michigan neighbors. Learn more and join the movement at
Consumers Energy dot com. Slash clean Energy
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