Democrats Unveil Republican Tax-O-Meter in Royal Oak

House Democrats, including State Rep. Vicki Barnett (D-Farmington Hills), unveiled a giant Republican Tax-O-Meter at the Royal Oak Public Library Monday morning that they say is a virtual display of by-the-second tax shifts in Michigan.

"It's time to start fighting for fairness," said State Rep. Henry Yanez (D-Sterling Heights).

Yanez, was also joined by Jim Townsend (D-Royal Oak), Ellen Cogen Lipton (D-Huntington Woods), Adam Zemke (D-Ann Arbor), Jon Switalski (D-Warren) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) in announcing www.GOPtax-o-meter.com.

"Every second the Tax-O-Meter ticks upwards and shows the destruction of tax fairness in Michigan," said Townsend, adding the tax burden to Michigan's middle-class families'  has increased by $4,320,822 a day. "It shows the unprecedented shift in taxation from corporations onto the middle class, seniors and the working poor." 

The group of state representatives pointed to reduced deductions for pension income, a reduced homestead property tax credit and the elimination of the $600 per child deduction as examples of changes made to fund tax breaks for corporations.

"The governor and the Republican-led legislature decided it was important for businesses to create jobs so they gave businesses an almost $2 billion tax break," said Barnett. "And how many jobs did they create? We have a higher unemployment rate today than we did when this tax break was passed." 

House Democrats say they plan to introduce bills to repeal the new tax on senior retirement income, restore the Homestead Property Tax and restore the child deduction, among other things.