2010 Plymouth Community
Chamber of Commerce
Primary Candidates Business Forum
The Plymouth Community Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee posed five key business questions to the candidates running in the upcoming primaries to represent the Plymouth area in the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives. The Senate and House seats only have Republican primary contests, since there is only one Democrat running for each seat.
The purpose of these questions is to provide information to voters on the candidates’ positions on important business issues that affect this area and our state.
Republican Candidate
Michigan for Michigan Senate 7th District
Patrick Colbeck
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www.colbeckformisenate.com
What is your position on the Michigan Business Tax? What changes would you suggest be made to the tax?
I would repeal the entire tax not simply the surcharge.
How would you propose to reform government to balance the State’s budget?
We need to cut government expenses. We cannot keep raising taxes and expect more businesses to settle in Michigan to provide jobs. Higher taxes will accomplish just the opposite. I have taken the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in this spirit. We need structural reform of government operations. I would propose working with the Governor to consolidate our current 18 disparate, special interest-based departments to 6 core stakeholder-focused departments of which one would be a shared services department featuring a consolidation of functions common to all other departments (e.g. benefits management, payroll, budgeting, IT). Expenses can be further cut by promoting the adoption of high quality but low cost health care solutions such as Health Savings Accounts.
How would you propose we keep young people from moving away from Michigan?
Give them reasons to stay. We need to establish a business environment that encourages job providers of all shapes, sizes and industries to settle in Michigan so that our graduates will have the broadest possible selection of careers to pursue. We need to shake off the defeatist attitude that has become prevalent in Michigan due to government policies that have pushed jobs out of our state. We still have a talented workforce. We need to restore pride in our state. Exchanging our current performance as the #2 state in unemployment rate with a #1 rank in job growth rate would be a great place to start. Lansing can help to achieve this goal by starting to treat job providers as customers not piggy banks.
What is your position on a services tax?
I have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which means that I am not in favor of raising taxes at all. We need to cut government expenses.
Would you favor tax incentives to attract employers? If yes, what incentives would you propose?
Yes…across the board tax incentives such as the elimination of the MBT that would attract a broad spectrum of potential employers not a limited few. I am not in favor of targeted tax incentives that favor a specific industry or region.
Democratic Candidate
Michigan for Michigan Senate
7th District
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Kathleen Law
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www.kathleenlawforsenate.com
Republican Candidate for
Michigan House of Representatives 20th District
Kurt Heise
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www.heise4us.com
What is your position on the Michigan Business Tax? What changes would you suggest be made to the tax?
The MBT should be repealed. Michigan must create jobs and economic opportunity for our residents – and business creates jobs, not the government. I’ve worked with and for small businesspeople throughout my career, and understand their concerns. I belong to the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce. I am the only candidate on the August 3 primary endorsed by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Association of Michigan, the Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan, and the Michigan Farm Bureau. We must cut job-killing business taxes, burdensome regulations, and reduce the state budget to make Michigan competitive.
How would you propose to reform government to balance the State’s budget?
To support Michigan's turnaround and create jobs, we must make government smaller, more efficient, and more responsive, as I achieved during my 15 years in public service. Michigan must do whatever it takes to create jobs across-the-board, and encourage startup businesses and entrepreneurs. I propose a two-year budget which would allow us to cut spending and taxes, while addressing the structural budget reforms that both parties have put off for too long. The state should also fully examine its corrections and social service systems and privatize services where needed. We must also have comprehensive reform of pension, health care and benefit programs for state employees. We must encourage consolidation of inefficient school districts, innovative and cost-effective sharing of municipal services, and the merging or elimination of costly district and circuit court operations. This is not just talk for me; I have made changes like these in local and county government over 15 years, and can do it in Lansing.
How would you propose we keep young people from moving away from Michigan?
Whether you are a college graduate or just out of high school, young people will stay in Michigan if they have jobs. State government has driven away job creators with high taxes and over-regulation. It’s easy to propose tax-and-spend gimmicks aimed at young people that don’t address the fundamental problems driving business away from Michigan. We need experienced leaders in Lansing who will make the tough decisions to create jobs, and make our state more competitive.
What is your position on a services tax?
I am opposed to the Governor’s service tax increase proposal. I want to cut taxes for business in Michigan and cut state spending – which is why statewide business advocacy groups like the Michigan Chamber of Commerce are strongly supporting my campaign.
Would you favor tax incentives to attract employers? If yes, what incentives would you propose?
Ideally, we should level the playing field to attract all types of new business to Michigan, and to encourage entrepreneurs and startup businesses here at home. This can be done by reducing business taxes and burdensome regulations. However, Michigan should retain some flexibility in order to compete with other states with more attractive incentives. We must also work to leverage our educational, skilled workforce, and environmental assets to attract the private sector, and create new economic opportunites such as the “Aerotropolis” project. Local governments also have the ability to propose their own tax incentives, which the state can encourage where needed.
Democratic Candidate for
the Michigan House of
Representatives
20th District
Joan Wadsworth
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www.joanwadsworth.com
1. What is your position on the Michigan Business Tax? What changes would you suggest be made to the tax?
I know some of your members would say a good tax is no tax, but another way to think about a good tax is one that is fair, simple, reliable and efficient. It should have a broad base, low rate and few exemptions. I think it’s safe to say that the MBT doesn’t measure up as well as it could.
Using these criteria, I’d favor a new business tax. I believe we could eliminate the surcharge and lower the rate by reducing the number of exemptions.
2. How would you propose to reform government to balance the State’s budget?
To balance the State budget we must make cuts and increase efficiency. Areas where the budget can be reduced include contracts, prisons, and tax exemptions. Greater efficiencies can be the result of streamlining regulatory processes, reducing paperwork and increasing the utilization of technology.
Even though the costs associated with the executive and legislative branches are a small portion of the state budget, I think the state legislature should lead by example. A unicameral legislature with lower salaries and contributions for benefits in line with the private sector would send a signal that Lansing is ready to do business in a new way.
3. How would you propose we keep young people from moving away from Michigan?
Place is important is important to young people. We need vibrant cities with public transportation, lively cultural activities, housing, and good jobs. Michigan has the advantage of great universities which can and do serve as anchors for development. As Michigan attracts more knowledge industries, and those businesses find homes in our cities, young workers will choose to stay in Michigan.
3. What is your position on a service tax?
Though I have great respect for some of the organizations advocating a tax on services, such as the Business Leaders for Michigan, I don’t think a tax on services would be wise at a time when so many businesses are struggling.
4. Would you favor tax incentives to attract employers? If yes, what incentives would you propose?
In general, I believe the fewer incentives the better. The overall business environment would be well served by a broad applied and low rate business tax.
Thant said, I do recognize that there may be instances when incentives are useful. I would, for example, leave the film industry incentives intact, or at least largely intact. The incentive has been successful and business needs predictability from government. One aspect of becoming a more business friendly state is to think through our business policies and stick to them so businesses can depend on known government policies as they plan.
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