Pension Tax Bites Michigan’s Snyder in Re-Election Bid

[Purveyor]

By Chris Christoff Sep 3, 2014 12:01 AM ET

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s 2011 tax increase on retirement income from pensions is haunting the Republican as he runs for a second term in a graying state still recovering from the recession.

Polls have shown Snyder, 56, in a dead heat with Democratic challenger Mark Schauer, 52, a former state legislator and congressman who’s hammering Snyder for hurting pensioners while cutting business taxes by $1.4 billion.

“I’m very sorry I voted for Mr. Snyder,” said Rosalind Weber, 67, a retired state worker from Ionia who calls herself an independent. “I won’t vote for him again. I didn’t like what he did with the taxes.”

Snyder bucked a decades-old trend among states of reducing taxes on retirees. While other issues are stirring the race -- Michigan’s 7.7 percent July unemployment rate remained above a 6.2 percent U.S. average -- the pension tax is driving a Democratic drumbeat for change in Lansing, where Republicans control all three branches of government.

Until Snyder’s changes took effect, Michigan had exempted most pension payments from the income tax, now at 4.25 percent. He created a three-tier system for retirees born before 1946, after 1952 and those in between. Members of the youngest group were hit hardest; instead of being allowed to exempt $47,309 in retirement income, they’re now taxed fully until age 67. Then, they get a $20,000 exemption.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-03/pension-tax-bites-michigan-s-snyder-in-re-election-bid.html

Help Mark out if you can here: http://markschauer.com/ WE CAN WIN THIS ONE and break the GOP stranglehold on Michigan!

[yeoman6987]

1. So weird how Republicans raise taxes

Totally against norm and Democtratic candidates complaining about it. Definite twilight zone behavior going on.

[Larkspur]

2. Republicans usually call them fees, so that they can lie about raising taxes

But fees help balance the budget

[Demeter]

3. Snyder has screwed 3 generations in 4 years

He stiffed the seniors of their pensions, and taxed the rest. Teachers, cops, social workers, nurses, all the people who keep the lid on and the wheels turning.

He stiffed the workers of their jobs and their union representation.

He stiffed the children of their educations.

And let's not even start with what he did to Detroit!

The only group he hasn't hurt are the legendary 1%.

[llmart]

4. I have heard many Democrats say the same thing.....

Many Democrats voted for Snyder - even people I call friends - and it wasn't too much longer after he took office that those people were saying "I'm so sorry I voted for him". These are politically astute people and highly educated and still they were snookered into voting for him. I'm proud to say I didn't. But I see he's running some swarmy ads talking about how he "helped" education, created jobs, etc. This time he's using the "I'm an accountant and that's what you need to run a state" instead of his "I'm a nerd" meme. I'm wondering if people will fall for it?

I want him gone, like, yesterday

[LovingA2andMI]

5. If Democrats Voted for Snyder in 2009....

They should hold their heads down in complete and utter shame of the mass of destruction Snyder and Company has done, the last three years and eight months in Michigan!

By the way, Virg Bernero would have made a GREAT Governor. Clearly, he would have been 150 Times Better than Rick Snyder. Even Stevie Wonder could see that.