↘️Despite #WhitmerWeedTax, Speaker Hall And House Republicans Score Huge Wins In Budget Fight

 

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)

As the clock struck midnight, Michigan didn't have a new budget passed, as required by the Constitution.

No budget? No problem! At least according to Governor Whitmer. By 3 am, before any services could be impacted, a temporary 1 week budget was passed by the legislature as the final details for this year get ironed out.

One of the biggest issues remaining: an immensely controversial wholesale marijuana tax increase.

And please, make no mistake: it's the #WhitmerWeedTax.  

Whitmer proposed it. Whitmer's insisting on it. Whitmer won in 2022. Whitmer controls the Democrat State Senate.

Speaker Hall's budget had no such weed tax. 

Speaker Of The House Matt Hall

If Republicans ran the Governor's office and State Senate, it wouldn't be happening.

But we don't---so it is.

The original tax proposal was 31%, and that is now down to 24%. 

Sources say it could go down to 10-20%, but that there will definitely be some sort of weed tax raise at the end of the day.

Michigan's marijuana industry has already been on shaky ground. Now, industry leaders say  Michigan will see significantly less out of state buyers, and up to 50,000 jobs could be on the line if the #WhitmerWeedTax goes into effect.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the Capitol yesterday, demanding the Democrat Senate reject the increase.

Aside from the horrendous #WhitmerWeedTax, this is a FANTASTIC budget compared to recent years ️ 

Speaker Matt Hall, Appropriations Chair Ann Iatrow Bollin, Appropriations Vice Chair Matt Maddock, and the Michigan House Republicans are delivering a budget that: 

Eliminates billions in waste, fraud, and abuse 

Doesn't pay for fake, "ghost employees" 

Ends taxes on tips, and overtime 

 Requires transparency on all special projects

  Cuts government spending

Stay tuned for more details...

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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