Question about how much authority Mr. Orr will have?

**illwill** · March-14-13, 07:22 PM

I'm curious if anyone knows, does Mr. Orr have the power to cut, restructure or repeal tax breaks or incentives that were given to businesses, corp., developers etc...?

**313WX** · March-14-13, 07:51 PM

Even if he did, it ain't happening.

**Novine** · March-14-13, 10:21 PM

Most of the incentives are done through the DDA and DEGC. Tax abatements can only be undone by the state.

**illwill** · March-14-13, 10:39 PM

Thanks Novine.

**corktownyuppie** · March-14-13, 10:42 PM

But he can "eliminate the tax breaks" by just raising taxes, right? And before anyone responds that doing so will raise everyone's taxes, couldn't he then just choose to give tax breaks to individual businesses, right?

**illwill** · March-15-13, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

But he can "eliminate the tax breaks" by just raising taxes, right? And before anyone responds that doing so will raise everyone's taxes, couldn't he then just choose to give tax breaks to individual businesses, right?

That's a good question. I assume he'll have to have some sort of mathematic system they use to assess taxes but I'm sure he'll have the authority to tweak each individual business as he chooses. I'm assuming many of the big businesses might get hit up pretty hard.

**Novine** · March-15-13, 09:24 AM

He doesn't have the authority to unilaterally raise or lower taxes. Joe Harris tried to raise taxes in Benton Harbor and the voters refused to go along with his plans.