Letters 05-04-2015

May 3, 2015

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I Love The Eighth Street Changes

I read the letter in the 4/13 paper about not liking the Eighth Street changes, and it spurred me to let you know that I do like the Eighth Street changes, as do many of my neighboring residents. The changes occurred to "slow" traffic down. And it did that. You can now walk on the sidewalks and ride bikes on the street and sidewalks without the fear of getting hit by a speeding car.

We live in a town that has a locked-grid road system. It requires more time, not more speed, to travel the roads that we have. I am proud of our planning commission and our road department for the great jobs they do to keep our town, people and especially our children safe.

Please, slow down when traveling in town.

Nancy Larson, Traverse City

Michigan Taxes Equal Uncompetitive State

Michigan has been losing population. According to the eighth edition of the "Rich States, Poor States" report released by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), states with low taxes have been gaining population. On the list of states forecast to gain economic competitiveness, Michigan is rated neither in the top ten nor the ten lowest. However, she slipped by 12 points, the worst slip in the rankings.

The co-author said, "The big story this year is the bipartisan embrace of state tax cuts. States are increasingly realizing the need to become more competitive through fiscal responsibility and free market economic reforms. We anticipate 2015 will be a record year for progrowth tax reform." Sales tax is regressive and not helpful for the economy. According to the Tax Foundation, the average Michigan resident must work almost one third of the year -- from January to the middle of April -- just to pay all the annual combined federal state and local taxes. Michigan residents pay taxes that are 22 percent higher than the national average. Michigan would be tied for second highest state sales taxes in the nation. Voting to raise the sales tax is a vote for Michigan to continue losing population and competitiveness. Vote no on May 5.

Marian Fortier Johnson, Manistee

"Déjà Vu, All Over Again!"

Sometimes that Yogi Berra quote is pitch perfect.

Back in 1993, Michigan’s roads were falling apart. Governor Engler refused to raise motor fuel taxes -- he issued bonds instead and kicked that problem down the road.

Also in 1993, strong opposition to local property tax increases put school budgets in jeopardy. In response, the legislature removed some taxing authority from school districts, instituted a somewhat lower state property tax, and shielded homeowners from having to pay much higher taxes when property values increased. By passing Proposal A, voters agreed to raise additional school revenue by increasing the sales tax from 4% to 6%. If Proposal A had failed, the income tax rate would have increased from 4.6% to 6% to raise additional school revenue.

Fast forward to 2015. Fuel tax rates have not changed and fewer tax dollars can be spent on asphalt and concrete because of the interest on the Engler bonds. School funding remains in jeopardy because sales tax receipts vary with the economy. We face the same problems that were not solved back then.

Governor Snyder made the problem worse. As his first order of business, he approved massive business tax cuts and then raised taxes on seniors and the working poor. Rather than raise fuel taxes as our roads continue to deteriorate, Governor Snyder has asked the voters to raise the sales tax.

We are being asked, yet again, to increase the most regressive of all of our taxes in order to fill revenue shortfalls created by more than twenty years’ of tax-cutting governmental malfeasance. We are told there is no alternative.

"Déjà vu, all over again!"

Jay Johnson, Empire

No To Fracking

I would like to respond to the article in the Apr 27th issue regarding fracking.

- If you wouldn’t mind having a fracking platform next to your house;

- If you wouldn’t mind heavy vehicles moving up and down your street at all hours;

- If you wouldn’t mind redrilling your well because the water table has gone down to provide water for horizontal fracking;

- If you wouldn’t mind your favorite fishing stream turned into a bed of mud to provide water for horizontal fracking;

- If you wouldn’t mind your groundwater contaminated to the point that it makes you sick due to horizontal fracking;

- If you wouldn’t mind a few, small earthquakes due to frack waste haulers shooting contaminated water underground; then this letter is not for you.

The Upper Peninsula was mined out in the 19th century by greedy interests leaving rusted buildings and dangerous holes in the ground; our forests of trees in Michigan were cut down at the turn of the century by greedy interests leaving a forest of stumps; the lamphry was introduced into the Great Lakes in the early 20th century by greedy shipping interests, destroying the fishing industry.

Let’s leave what is here now – the forests, the lakes, the rivers–for our children and their children.

Germany with a similar climate to ours now provides 50% of their electricity from solar. It isn’t a black and white issue as portrayed. Options do exist.

Misty Sheehan, Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation, Empire

Find Something Better

Our politicians in Lansing love to talk about "no more taxes." I agree that they seem to be against any new taxes on the very wealthy and businesses, but seem to have no problem increasing taxes on the poor and the middle class.

For example, the proposed Michigan sales tax increase May 5th. Previous actions have reduced the earned income tax credit (EITC), taxed public pensions on the middle class, and increased taxes on liquor and cigarette taxes, to name a few. These are regressive taxes and hurt the poor and most moderate income persons. Michigan is only one of seven states that have a flat income tax. Thirty-four states have a progressive income tax which taxes, at a slightly higher rate, those who are in the upper middle class, i.e. over $250k and up. No question, our roads are terrible, but let’s come up with a better solution. After all, that what we pay our legislators to do.

Bill Hoff, Suttons Bay