Joshua Kolka's Page
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- Are you interested in becoming an organizer in your area?
- Maybe--But Not Sure What to Organize
- Tell us about your experience with alternative energy:
- I am a part of a program from consumers energy that uses renewable energy to power your homes. It uses wind and biomass to power the homes.
- What excites you about this campaign?
- What excites me is the fact that people are starting to become aware that we rely to heavily on other countries to power our country. We have resources here in America that can power our entire nation without any foreign help. The best part is that it will help to cut global warming also.
- What do you want to do to help?
- Help fund the wind projects.
Meet with government officials to help push new energy ideas.
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Please read below about what the Michigan Chamber of Commerce said about this tax proposal.
The 2008 Michigan Fair Tax Ballot Proposal
APPROVED BY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
APRIL 24, 2008
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce continues to believe that our state's economic competitiveness should be improved by providing all taxpayers with broad based tax relief. However, we oppose the 2008 Michigan Fair Tax ballot proposal to amend the State Constitution to impose a 9.75% sales and use tax on consumer purchases of goods and services because the petition currently being circulated has too many unanswered questions and unresolved problems to warrant support.
Background
The Michigan Chamber is convinced that the current situation with taxes and spending in Michigan is unacceptable. Allowing the state appropriations process to drive tax policy decisions has resulted in significant tax increases on many Michigan job providers. Furthermore, the complicated and administratively burdensome nature of our current tax system leaves much to be desired. Though a state-level “Fair Tax” initially sounds appealing, and a national-level concept may have some merit, the proposed 9.75% Fair Tax ballot proposal has too many unanswered questions and unresolved problems to warrant support.
In response to increasing calls to reduce Michigan’s tax burden and improve our business climate, proponents of a so-called “Fair Tax” have spent the past three years advocating for a Michigan Fair Tax. Their goal has been to eliminate certain business taxes and broaden Michigan’s sales and use taxes in an effort to bring simplicity to our current tax system. The plan generally calls for imposing Michigan sales/use taxes to 9.75% (an approximate 62% increase), expanding the taxes to services, food and drugs (except those exempt by law), while repealing two major business taxes (MBT and business personal property taxes) and Michigan’s Personal Income Tax.
The State Board of Canvassers has approved language for this Constitutional amendment, and the petition and signature-gathering effort (approximately 400,000 needed) is underway to place this on the November 2008 ballot. Due to public interest, and the fact that the Michigan Chamber has been actively involved in the state’s tax limitation movement, it is important for the Michigan Chamber to formulate a position on this issue.
Proponents are advocating the plan based on the following selling points: simplicity; repeal of the MBT, the business personal property tax, the Michigan Personal Income Tax; and “pre-bates” (annual refunds to all taxpayers to alleviate regressive nature of sales tax).
Other features of the plan include providing increased and guaranteed funding to local governments, elimination of any estate taxes and a constitutionally required insurance premiums tax.
There are too many unanswered questions and unresolved issues to warrant support; first and foremost is the recent experience with the 6% “service” tax, which was hastily approved by the Legislature and Administration. The debacle proved that it is much easier to talk about the idea of a sales tax on services than it is to implement.
Michigan “Fair Tax” advocates claim that their proposal will eliminate income taxes and prohibit general business tax increases without a vote of the people. However, in their proposal is the potential for a major expansion of the income tax, allowing any subdivision of the state (City, Village, Township, County, School Districts) to levy an income tax. Currently, only cities above a certain population threshold may adopt a city-level income tax. In addition, the proposed Article IX, Section 47 of the proposal, provides that if revenues from the increase in the expanded sales and use tax falls short of expected revenues, the rate will automatically increase for one year (the baseline formula is previous years’ sales and use tax revenues adjusted for population and inflation). No reference to these two provisions is found in the proponents marketing material.
There are several other significant concerns and reservations about the Michigan “Fair Tax” proposal.
This proposal would shift out-of-state tax burden to in-state taxpayers. Despite the ability to levy a higher sales tax on visitors from outside Michigan, we would lose the ability to tax out-of-state taxpayers through the MBT (shifting an estimated $850 million onto Michigan taxpayers). States are currently prohibited from mandatory collection of sales tax across state borders. This would put Michigan sellers at a competitive disadvantage to businesses in other states that would not have to charge a tax on services, or such a high rate in general – particularly those in border counties. In addition, the potential for tax avoidance is increased. Michigan would have the highest state sales tax rate in the country, having a potentially negative impact on sales of cars, boats, trucks, appliances, etc.
Shift to individual taxpayers. Regardless of the reality of the final incidence of tax, the perception that businesses would be nearly fully relieved of paying taxes at the expense of individuals could create challenges in securing voter approval.
Complicated and difficult to administer. For example, the proposal calls for providing “pre-bates” to be sent to individuals to offset the regressive nature of sales taxes. Upon close inspection, the tax application, collection and distribution are complicated and would be difficult for taxpayers and administrators of the tax policy. Also, the proposal calls for a complicated revenue distribution stream based on sales on tangible property versus sales of services, food, drugs, etc. It is not uncommon for a retailer to remit sales tax revenues to the state of Michigan en masse. There is not a tracking system currently within the remittance mechanism to determine the revenue source. This problem would introduce a whole new level of administrative complexity for taxpayers and Administrators.
Rate and revenue questions. “Fair Tax” proponents claim their proposal would be “revenue neutral,” – however, this has not been confirmed by an objective third party. There has been some concern expressed that the revenues generated by a 9.75% rate fall significantly short of the intended goal.
As of this date, the only business organization supporting this proposal is the Small Business Association of Michigan.
At the February 29, 2008 meeting of the Michigan Chamber Tax Policy Committee, a majority of committee members voted to oppose the 2008 Michigan Fair Tax ballot proposal.
©2009 Michigan Chamber of Commerce Delete Comment
Under the FairTax plan, points of collection are reduced to retailers many of whom are already collecting sales tax. Because service providers must account for income tax withholding and compliance costs, their prices carry a hidden tax which will become visible under the MI FairTax. (The MI FairTax EXCLUDES business-to-business purchases as this would, again, hide the cost of taxation in prices.)
Because of the prebate to ALL Michigan-resident households, the MI FairTax rate would effectively be 0% on all monthly family spending to the poverty level; thereafter it's 9.75%. The average effective rate will be around 5.5% (see p.2 of pdf brochure).
Please, join our email list to learn how you can help advance the Michigan FairTax and facilitate Pickens Plan goals!
Why the FairTax idea is right for America's working families.
Merry Christmas Joshua,
This year I have helped so many members learn about personal home energy plans. It's all about power use, conservation, and home power generation, things I have been doing at my residence to lower my energy costs. Send me a friend request a to add me Joshua, I'd be honored to have you as a friend here.
BTW, Michigan: I just posted an article on my page about Home Wind Systems in Michigan. Your state's representatives, governor, and public utility commission officials are not in your corner with this "soft policy" on Net Metering. Instead they have the tables turned against green power for businesses and homeowners. You should read that article, important.
Greetings Joshua,
Our cost effective, new roof mounting residential wind turbine kits are shipping now. They are sleek, attractive, and well designed. These are actually a home appliance on the roof, much like an antennae or satellite dish. They are as easy to install as other home appliances, like dishwasher, home theatre, etc. It's a nice clean way for you to begin your Personal Energy Plan. These systems are inexpensive, easy to install, scaleable.
Your Wind blows stronger in winter, Your Sun shines stronger in summer. This hybrid wind/solar system combines these cycles to give a more even flow of energy year round. This homeowner sized wind/solar system provides free power for your home. Many customers have found it easy to become customer/dealers of our kits. Customers can become a dealer with no further investment, they see quickly how people are easy to get interested.
I have used the same systems save money on my electricity costs from day one and Joshua, you can too. Your local wind resources are so good in Michigan. Check these windmaps and see can you pinpoint what number your area is in. Zone 2 is OK, anything over 2 is (very) good. First double check your wind resources from the map and links below.
Your Bay City, MI Wind Maps -electric wind power
If you are interested, Email Us,
contact us at our Email Address.
.
Greetings
Mrs. Grey and I are happy that you have joined this group and we hope that your involvement with this effort will be rewarding for you and your children. We have prepared a letter that encompasses the Pickens Plan so you can send it to your congressional delegation. It is easy to send you just click on the web site to your congressional delegation. You can easily find it by Goggling it.
Mrs. Grey and I had fun developing this plan and we shared this plan with Pickens' people and they sent back a "Great Idea!” I just want to share with you our opportunity to make a difference. A copy of the letter is at the top of this comment
Best Wishes
Clyde Childers