KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she wants tax cuts for low-income families and retirees. Speaking from a Detroit auto plant for her State of the State address Wednesday night, she said she wants to restore the Earned Income Tax Credit, which would benefit thousands of children.
Whitmer said the state will continue to fix roads and bridges, and called on lawmakers to cut insulin prices.
Kalamazoo Democratic Senator Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) praised the Governor’s proposals to repeal the retirement tax and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit during her annual State of the State address, saying he looks “ forward to working with my colleagues and Governor Gretchen Whitmer on these two tax relief measures that would have a substantial positive impact on the pocketbooks of Michigan’s seniors and working families. Under the governor’s proposals, at the end of the day, they would keep more of the money they worked so hard to earn.”
The governor’s proposal would restore Michigan’s Earned Income Tax Credit to 20% of the federal credit after it had been slashed to 6% in 2011. The refundable credit helps more than 730,000 families a year. In the 2019 tax year, eligible families received an average credit of $150, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Democratic State Representative Christine Morse of Texas Township issued the following statement:
“Improving the lives of Michiganders remains my top priority. The priorities the governor identified tonight will help address some of the biggest issues impacting the people in our state. After passing a budget that prioritized infrastructure repairs, I am pleased that the governor wants to continue pushing for improved infrastructure throughout the state in the coming year. The people in my district have made it clear that we need to do more to improve their financial outlook. I look forward to working with Gov. Whitmer to provide tax relief for the hard-working people in Michigan by repealing the pension tax and expanding the earned income tax credit. And finally, the pandemic has not been easy on any of us. There are record-high numbers of people seeking resources for their mental health. We need to work together to ensure that mental health needs are being met across the state. The improvements we make for our state will not only benefit us today but far into the future.”
Republican State Senator Aric Nesbitt of Lawton said, “The governor spoke about the issue of taxes, but we’ll see if that includes relief for all the families and business in Michigan. Struggling families and small businesses are being hit hard by inflation while the state budget is bringing in more revenue than estimates project.”
“I am hopeful that Gov. Whitmer will follow through and work with Senate Republicans and other legislative leaders to provide tax relief for not only some Michiganders, but for all of the hardworking men and women of this great state.
“It is important that we continue to work together to responsibly invest in initiatives that will benefit our state for generations to come, such as the $3.3 billion Protect MI Water plan to make sure our drinking water and natural resources are safe and protected and the $1.3 billion MI Safe Drive plan to repair bridges in severe condition across our state without raising taxes, which have each passed the Senate and moved on to the House.
“Finally, I again urge the governor to work with the Legislature and help connect more families to reliable internet service by expanding broadband access to smaller communities throughout the state. We must find a way to close this digital gap.”
Democratic State Representative Julie M. Rogers of Kalamazoo issued the following statement:
“I am thrilled Gov. Whitmer has called for an expansion of the current earned income tax credit. Hard-working Michiganders had their Earned Income Tax Credit slashed to a third of what families used to receive. It’s long past time that we return the EITC to what it once was before it was drastically reduced in 2012.”
“ I also join the governor in calling for continued resources for health care workers, from hospitals to long-term care facilities, as the pandemic continues. As a practicing physical therapist, I see the strain our health care systems are experiencing. We must provide the support they need so we can move forward. The pandemic has also highlighted a need for increased focus on mental health care and as the governor highlighted, increasing access to resources and providers must be a priority.”
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