Promoting Families via Business in West Michigan:Generally speaking, most of us have jobs or are seeking jobs. Our work is the core of our income and thus our livelihoods and quality of life revolve around the employment opportunities available to us. The business owners that employ us do not do so out of charity or egalitarianism. They hire us because our productivity, ideas and work ethic strengthen their business, expand their services and make them profitable. In turn they take these profits and re-invest them into their business, which strengthens the business and helps to secure our jobs. If a business owner does not make a profit, they are unable to invest (e.g. expand product offering, innovate & market) in their business and thus become more vulnerable to competitors and the larger economy. Furthermore, they are unable to invest in new people. Naturally, without profits businesses fail, people become unemployed and everyone is affected because progress and innovation are slowed. Prior to the 2008 election I highlighted that during the fall of 2007, the Michigan legislature voted to increase taxes on Michigan businesses by 22%. This was an unconscionable blow to our already crumbling state; by swiping more of the profits of Michigan businesses our current governor and legislature assured us of continued layoffs, continued failing business and increasing unemployment, all which have become a reality. In fact, according to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "from April 2006 through April 2010, the state experienced the nation's highest unemployment rate for 49 consecutive months." Despite the continued failing of Lansing's big government policies, in February 2010, governor Granholm proposed extending the sales tax to a cornucopia of service businesses. This tax increase would raise more than $940 million in new state tax revenues through 2014,
according to the Michigan House Fiscal Agency. I agree with the Mackinaw Center that "the grim reality is that a tax hike at this time could contribute to an economic "death spiral," in which extracting more revenue from businesses and families leads to reduced economic activity, leading in turn to calls from the political establishment for even more tax increases..." just as we saw in 2007. The true bottom line here is our families. The more the state undermines small business with higher taxes and more regulation, the more businesses will exit the state, the fewer job opportunities we will have and the more our families will suffer because we are not able to generate the incomes we need to better our lives and futures. So my platform is simply this: improve business conditions in the state via lower taxes, tax breaks or by implementing the Fair Tax and everything else good will flow forth. Surely government services (and pensions) will take a hit, but this hit will be temporary; if Michigan offers a more attractive investment environment than surrounding Great Lakes states, business, jobs and improved incomes will naturally flow here thus boosting state revenues and standards of living for everyone. This is what I am fighting for. I welcome your support, not monetarily, but by filling out a simple black oval next to my name in November. If you're wondering about your current representative's record on business-friendly measures you can view it here. |
Additional Information
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