Revenue in the state of Michigan will be way less than expected.

[brizee]

Can't spare a pittance for public transportation.

Our roads are hot dogshit on a muggy spring day.

And wasn't it less than two months ago some Republican suggested an election year tax refund?

Incompetence or deceitful malevolence.

http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/in..._river_default

[Detroitnerd]

This is like a family in which Dad, after buying a powerboat and building a mansion for his mistress, returns home to the wife and kids to talk about how everybody needs to tighten their belts. That jalopy she drives the kids to school in is going to have to last a little longer, and those private school plans have to be put off, for now ... [[hahahahaha)

[Novine]

Looks like tax cuts for job providers can't overcome tax increases on seniors and middle class taxpayers.

[Bham1982]

Well, at least we're doubling-down on solid economic policy, like reducing taxes on rich people, raising taxes on poor people, and massive handouts to billionaires for hockey arenas and choo-choo trains.

[DetroitPlanner]

I see a 'justification' for a tax increase in our near future.

[bailey]

I see a 'justification' for a tax increase in our near future.

Not until the Rs are in the minority.... then of course the Ds will come in and do things like raise taxes and increase spending on things like roads.... and then Rs will sweep into office on the "taxes are theft and Ds are big government socialists and are putting your unborn grandchildren into massive debt!" platforms - rinse and repeat every 8 years.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

They should just furlough indefinitely all "non-essential" state employees. If you're not needed when the weather's terrible, we probably don't need you on a bright, sunshiney day, either.

[Detroitnerd]

They should just furlough indefinitely all "non-essential" state employees. If you're not needed when the weather's terrible, we probably don't need you on a bright, sunshiney day, either.

Wow. You have absolutely no idea what the "nonessential" designation means.

Why am I not surprised... ?

[Hermod]

It sounds like they aren't that bad off, they just don't have a big cap gains windfall this time. 2012 was a big year for people beating the Jan 1, 2013 new tax rates plus the Obamacare tax bite on cap gains. Then someone forecast 2012 income forward and it didn't materialize.

[Detroitnerd]

I get it.

When things are bad and the party you don't like is in power, it's unions and poor leadership.

When things are bad and the party you like is in the saddle, it's the weather, it's tax minutiae, it's stuff the other party is doing, etc.

Thanks for your explanations. I'll stick with my lucky astrology mood watch.

[Novine]

No one should be surprised by this. The magic well-paying jobs fairy never arrived in the wake of the tax cuts for businesses. Add to that tax increases on working class and middle class families and seniors, who by necessity have to spend more of their income, and you have the recipe for an economic policy that didn't translate into better jobs and significant economic growth.

[Hermod]

I get it.
When things are bad and the party you don't like is in power, it's unions and poor leadership.
When things are bad and the party you like is in the saddle, it's the weather, it's tax minutiae, it's stuff the other party is doing, etc.
Thanks for your explanations. I'll stick with my lucky astrology mood watch.

Variations in tax collections are not dependent on party. As far as income tax collection [[both state and federal though more for federal) goes, the kicker is capital gains. Look at federal tax collections some time. The dot bomb boom actually drove the budget into surplus one year from the "frothy exuberance" capital gains produced. The dot bomb crash caused the immediate deficit in 2000. Total tax collected grew during the 2002-2007time frame fueled by capital gains. Fed receipts went down in 2008 and collapsed in 2009 along with the stock market crash. Capital gains are recovering now and 2013 looks to be a banner year for the tax man. It is thge market which drives tax receipts and not the party in power.

[313WX]

No one should be surprised by this. The magic well-paying jobs fairy never arrived in the wake of the tax cuts for businesses. Add to that tax increases on working class and middle class families and seniors, who by necessity have to spend more of their income, and you have the recipe for an economic policy that didn't translate into better jobs and significant economic growth.

Well not many people who don't have ties with Michigan would want to heavily invest in a state where its largest industry has completely collapsed and been gutted, nor in a state where the largest city is bankrupt.

Meanwhile, the businesses in Michigan that managed to weather the economic tsunami are so traumatized from the auto industry's collapse that they're now penny pinching on everything to the Nth degree [[including labor).

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Meanwhile, the budget is rosy here in CA. Governor Brown is doing a great job, IMHO, and there's a great bi-partisan amendment to establish a large rainy day fun.

[unclefrank]

Quit letting oversized trucks beat the crap out of our roads.

[JBMcB]

Meanwhile, the budget is rosy here in CA. Governor Brown is doing a great job, IMHO, and there's a great bi-partisan amendment to establish a large rainy day fun.

Yeah he's doing great. There's a budget surplus, which in newspeak apparently means the deficit decreased from $15 billion to $12 billion after an income tax hike, and CalPERS is underfunded for the next 30 years.

[ABetterDetroit]

I get it.

When things are bad and the party you don't like is in power, it's unions and poor leadership.

When things are bad and the party you like is in the saddle, it's the weather, it's tax minutiae, it's stuff the other party is doing, etc.

Thanks for your explanations. I'll stick with my lucky astrology mood watch.

If you think things are bad now where where you in '09 thru '11? On a oil rig in the Dakotas I would guess because you obviously were not here.

[compn]

you see how they run the state, its the same thing in their plan to save detroit.

completely unrealistic goals in the city plan. wants to spend $500mil demolishing houses in 5 years, cant get $300mil to fix pensions OVER 20 YEARS. does anyone do the math??

snyder wants to spend $1billion on roads, can barely get legislature to give $100mil.

for the roads and bridges in michigan to even survive, that is, not collapse on people, is to start shutting down non essential unused roads. especially in detroit where its a ghost town for miles on many roads. but even in livonia theres 20+ bridges across i-96, why? not needed. millions of dollars per bridge.

[Goose]

where is the "miss me yet" photo of granholm? oh how we forget the good times....

[Lombaowski]

They should just furlough indefinitely all "non-essential" state employees. If you're not needed when the weather's terrible, we probably don't need you on a bright, sunshiney day, either.

You should be laid off for being a moron.

[rb336]

Snyder blames it on the Federal tax code. I would really like to know exactly how that works

[BankruptcyGuy]

This is not unique to Michigan:

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/...51950865534102

[Honky Tonk]

where is the "miss me yet" photo of granholm? oh how we forget the good times....

Yeah, "Here's a bag of money to play with, see ya". That worked out really well.

[Hermod]

Snyder blames it on the Federal tax code. I would really like to know exactly how that works

Michigan's income taxes are based on Federal "adjusted gross income". If the Federal code changes and causes people to behave differently financially, it will affect Michigan tax collections.

[poobert]

You should be laid off for being a moron.

Seriously. Who wouldn't want a job where you get laid off every time it stops snowing?