Gov. Snyder gets beaned by the Mackinac Hardball Meanies

Snyder Budget Score Card Results

No surprises here. Hands Down: "Mac Mean" wins over "Thoughtful/Independent Nerd" 11 to 0- NOTHING !

Listed below are the items projected as possible Mackinac Center demands acquiesced to by Gov. Snyder and Snyder's actual list of "budget bombs":

1.) Mackinac Center Demand: Eliminate the Michigan Business Tax- replace the money it raises with cuts in government spending. Snyder's Budget Bomb Sez: - Eliminates the Michigan Business Tax and replaces it with a flat 6 percent corporate income tax on major corporations.
2.) Mackinac Center Demand :Pass Right-to-Work legislation. There may be no greater single economic development policy that Michigan could adopt.
Snyder Budget Bomb Sez:- Let's see what the Republican Majorities in the Legislature can enact as a way to bring down costs - Some things are being held for the second half of this legislative session.
3.) Mackinac Center Demand Rein in the Department of Environmental Quality. (Maintaining Michigan's high standards, means businesses) "won't be doing business or creating jobs in Michigan, period. It's a 100 percent tax rate:"
Snyder Budget Bomber Sez: Eliminate the dairy farm inspection program in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
4.) Mackinac Center Demand: (Stop) the state promising millions of dollars in targeted tax credits or subsidies to "slick operators in sexy industries" who promise to "create" jobs.
Snyder's Budget Bomb Sez: - Eliminates business credits awarded for films, brownfield redevelopment, the Michigan Economic Growth Authority, etc., although current commitments will be honored. Sets aside $25 million for film credits from the 21st Century Jobs Fund. Cuts future credits for: battery tech & production, Green Energy including wind generation, and similar fields as these credits expire
5.) Mackinac Center Demand: Bring public sector employment benefits in line with the private sector (Using the tools honed and revised by MacCen as to that "private sector" benchmark is.):
Snyder Budget Bomb Sez: - Mandate a cut of up to $180 million from state employees through higher health care premiums and other changes. This matter is referred to the Republican controlled Legislature for immediate action.
6.) Mackinac Center Demand: Make public pay equal to "private" pay: Michigan Public vs. Private "hourly" compensation:
Snyder Budget Bomb Sez: - The "emergency" powers in proposed legislation now being fast tracked will handle this problem, schools and governmental units will be coerced into compliance with sharp reductions, or face State dictatorial take-overs.
7.) Mackinac Center Demand: Resend Gov. George Romney's signing of the Michigan Public Employment Relations Act, eliminate collective bargaining for public employees:
Snyder Budget Sez: - Let's see what the legislature will do with H.B. 4215 and its provisions in this regard
8.) Mackinac Center Demand: Cut state government work force:
Snyder's Budget Bomb Sez: - Eliminates 300 field worker positions in the Department of Human Services. And - Closes the Shawono Center in Grayling, and cuts 20 beds in capacity at the Maxey Training School in Whitmore Lake- Reduces the number of Michigan State Police posts
9.) Mackinac Center Demand: Change state revenue-sharing formula:
Snyder's budget bomb Sez: - Eliminate statutory revenue sharing payments for cities, villages and townships in FY 2012 The change impacts 509 local units of government with cuts totaling $92.1 million. Snyder will force villages and townships t to comply with tough teapartisan rigid standards or face penalties.
10.) Mackinac Center Demand: Let private firms run some prisons:
Snyder's Budget Bomb Sez: - Close one prison to be named later this year and privatize food service and prison stores operations in Michigan prisons, then throw in downgrading resident care aide services at the Grand Rapids Veterans' Home with competitively bid workers.
11.) Mackinac Center Demand: Eliminate the earned income credit:
Snyder's Budget Bomb Sez: - Eliminate the state Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income workers and take back welfare benefits and support altogether after 48 months.
12.) Mackinac Center Demand: Allowing for income tax exemptions for government retirement benefits, including pensions and proposed extension of those exemptions to private sector pensions is "unfair" as viewed by LaFaive.

Snyder's Budget Bomb: - Eliminates the state income tax exemption for pensions, Social Security benefits will continue to be exempt.

Score Card Results: The Beanie Nerd's Independence & New Re-Inventive Agenda - 0
The Mackinac Center "Meanies" -11 That's a trouncing @ (11 for 11)


Hands Down: "Mac Mean" wins over "Thoughtful/Independent/CEO Nerd."


It's very clear Rick "The Nerd" Snyder needs to learn how to play political "hardball" before he goes up to bat again !

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