By Brandon Hall
(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)
Here is the memo from the head of the Michigan Chamber, Rich Studley, to lawmakers, opposing new healthcare tax legislation by State Rep. Al Pscholka:
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12:09 PM (1 hour ago)
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MEMORANDUM
To: Members of the State House
From: Rich Studley, President & CEO, Michigan Chamber of Commerce
Date: December 7, 2015
Subject: STOP $2.3 BILLION TAX INCREASE! VOTE NO ON HOUSE BILL 5105
The Michigan Chamber is strongly opposed to House Bill 5105 (Pscholka). This $2.3 billion tax increase on individuals and business purchasing health insurance is unwise and unfair. No other state in the country imposes such a penalty tax. We urge the State House to reject this untimely money grab! The sole purpose of this bill is to create a new pot of money for further expansion of social welfare spending.
Since 2011, Michigan’s Health Insurance Claims Assessment (HICA) tax has added nearly $1 billion to the already high cost of purchasing health insurance in Michigan. Passage of House Bill 5105 would discourage employers from purchasing health insurance for their employees.
In addition, House Bill 5105 would drastically alter current law by extending the sunset of the HICA tax by seven years and nine months – from December 31, 2017 to September 30, 2025. This amounts to a $1.98 billion tax increase on businesses and individuals purchasing health insurance. Radically changing current law to breath life into a bad tax scheduled to die is both reckless and irresponsible.
Worse still, passage of HB 5105 would renege on promised tax refunds put into law just one year ago, meaning job providers and other health insurance purchasers would be stripped of $47 million in promised rebates in 2016 and 2017. This change alone creates a $280-$320 million windfall for state government through 2025, directly on the backs of health insurance purchasers.
This $2.3 billion tax increase on Michigan job providers and individuals who purchase health insurance is a bad idea. HB 5105 is anti-taxpayer and anti-business and should be rejected.
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is extremely disappointed with the effort to rush this very costly and economically damaging legislation through the House. We strongly urge you to Vote NO on HB 5105!"
Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com
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>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com
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| Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson |
But gee, Dick, how else are we supposed to pay for Snydercaid?
ReplyDelete.
And is there anyone else who sees the irony in someone (aka Dick) who was championing ramming Proposal 1 down our throats earlier this year, only now seeing the detrimental effects of state government taking money our of the economy, rather than functioning on the more than ample amount of revenue it collects every year?
You cannot have it BOTH ways!