LANSING, Mich. – The day after Governor Gretchen Whitmer pitched targeted tax breaks in her State of the State address, the Michigan legislature did just that, as about a billion dollars will be coming from the state back to you.
The Senate passed a boost to the Earned Income Tax Credit to help low-income workers. The expectation is it will assist 700,000 Michigan families.
Late Tuesday (Jan. 24) night, it passed through the House. Both chambers passed it with bipartisan support.
Only eight members of the House GOP voted no.
“We’ve gotten a lot done in just the last week, and we’re not going to stop,” said Senator Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield.
The second bill repeals the tax on public employee pensions and boosts the exemption for other forms of retirement benefits. That passed as well but with far fewer republicans on board.
“When I say I want to repeal the retirement tax, I mean for everyone, not just those with public pensions,” said Rep. Ann Bollin, R-Brighton.
The prevailing GOP opinion in both chambers is the bill, as written, doesn’t do enough. Both bills undo changes made during the Snyder administration.