Congress needs to help Michigan families Labor Day’s right around the corner. When Congress returns from its break, it needs to focus on those struggling in Michigan’s difficult economy -- August 26, 2010

The League has joined the Center for Civil Justice in creating fact sheets on pressing issues before Congress.

• Child Nutrition Reauthorization: Ensuring nourishing meals for needy children Congress should not take from needy families to pay for improvements in child nutrition. Read more>>
  

• Recovery Act Tax Credits for Families Congress should make permanent tax credits for lower-income families trying to make ends meet in this recession. Read more>>
  

• TANF Emergency Fund: Critical to families in time of need With the ongoing recession and double-digit unemployment, Michigan needs additional fiscal relief. Read more>>

Fact Sheet: Recovery Act Tax Credits for Families There are two refundable federal tax credits that were expanded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). These expansions gave families more generous refunds on their Tax Year 2009 taxes than they would have received otherwise. - Aug 10 Click for fact sheet.

Letter to Michigan’s Congressional delegation urging fair tax policy for low-income families The Michigan League for Human Services and 25 others signed a letter to the Michigan Congressional delegation urging that Congress permanently extend policies that support low- and middle-income families and encourage work. read more>>

The Michigan League for Human Services supports the “Comeback Plan” by A Better Michigan Future to help turn our state around.

A Better Michigan Future has a four-point plan: Implement a graduated income tax, audit government contracts, close tax loopholes & giveaways and modernize the state’s sales tax. For more information... click here>>
For more information on revenue options see Facts Matter
To read a letter about ABMF to members, click here>>

Silent and Stealthy: Michigan Gives Away $35 Billion a Year
Tax expenditures quietly drain the state of billions of dollars in revenue every year, $35 billion in fiscal year 2009 alone, approximately four times the state’s general fund budget that year. Ending some tax expenditures can be part of a balanced approach to closing the budget gap and would increase revenue without a general tax increase. read more>>
press release>>

• The Budget Deficit: It's Not Just the Economy [PDF]
• Sales Tax on Services: Modernizing the Revenue Structure [PDF]
• Income Tax: It's Time for the Flat Tax to Go [PDF]
• Senior Tax Preferences: Can Michigan Afford Such Generosity? [PDF]
• Beer Tax: Held Harmless for Forty Years [PDF]
• Estate Taxes: Michigan Stands to Gain Revenue [PDF]
• Tax Expenditures: Silently Draining the State Budget [PDF]
• Prison Spending: Corrections Takes Big Bite of Budget [PDF]

Testimony before the House Tax Policy Committee June 10, 2009 [PDF] [Word] [Powerpoint Presentation]

From Poodle Cuts to Pedicures: Why We Need a Sales Tax on Services High unemployment and the prolonged recession mean the needs of Michigan’s families are growing just as the state has fewer resources to help them. It’s apparent that a more balanced approach is needed when it comes to revenue. Michigan needs a better alternative to a cuts-only approach and temporary tax increases. One solution is to modernize Michigan’s antiquated sales tax. read more>>

Putting Michigan's Fiscal House in Order About 100 attended the League's Dec. 3 public policy forum in person and through a Webcast. The PowerPoints from two presenters are linked below.

Click here to read an Associated Press story about the event. Click here to watch a rebroadcast of the forum.

Mitch Bean presentation>>

Charley Ballard PPT>>

Fact Sheet: Michigan’s New Earned Income Tax Credit On September 22, 2006, Governor Granholm signed into law a state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for Michigan. This new tax credit, passed with bipartisan support, will help working families keep more of their paycheck. - Updated Aug 2009 Click here for fact sheet.

Common-sense budget solution offered by coalition: Groups urge policymakers to close tax loopholes A coalition of more than 40 organizations called upon policymakers to close tax loopholes, generating an estimated $400 million in revenue that could help avoid further cuts to services. In the face of alarming revenue shortfalls projected for next year, the Michigan League for Human Services supports this reasonable approach. UPDATED July 30, 2009. Read press release here>>

• The Center for Michigan commentary on closing tax loopholes Read the viewpoint here.
• Read statement to lawmakers [PDF] [Word]
• Loopholes list and description [PDF] [Word]
• Chart showing the growth of loopholes [PDF]

Public Services Provide Quality of Life for Everyday Michigan Citizens Each day in homes across Michigan, the state’s residents wake to a routine that depends upon the utilization of important public services. While many people do not identify themselves as depending upon public services, the fact is that the vast majority of us rely on a range of services in order to live our lives. read more>> -- Updated Feb 2009