For Immediate Release
February 15, 2017
Contact:
Alex Rossman
arossman@mlpp.org
517-487-5436
Groups warn against tax cut’s $680M budget hole in FY 2018, damage to economy, schools and local communities
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statement today in opposition to House Bill 4001 that will eliminate the state income tax. The statement can be attributed to Gilda Z. Jacobs, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy, who also testified against this bill in this morning’s House Tax Policy Committee.
“Lawmakers who are pushing this proposal are ignoring the real-time failures happening in other states that have cut their state income tax, and they are ignoring the will of the people. Polling data shows widespread opposition across party lines and in every corner of the state. There’s only one group of people who will significantly benefit from cutting the state income tax, and it’s the state’s wealthiest individuals. The people of Michigan who are working hard but still struggling will suffer from the continued degradation of state services, our infrastructure and our quality of life.
“You only have to look at the lineup of opposition to this bill to see the broad array of people who will be harmed by cutting the state income tax—including the very working people this is said to help. This proposal will not create jobs or stimulate our economy. Instead, it will create a $680 million budget hole in the first year, and cost the state up to $9 billion or even more when the income tax is fully eliminated. Michigan has already endured years of cuts to services people rely on every day and has seen the consequences in public crises in Flint and other communities. Cutting the income tax will exacerbate these problems and leave our state unable to invest in our schools, colleges and universities, air and water, communities, bridges and roads, healthcare and public safety—the things that actually fuel economic growth.”
The League has been a leading voice in speaking out against the real impact of this tax cut, and will continue to stand up for the people of Michigan and the value of government services. See the links below for additional information.
- Testimony on HB 4001 to House Tax Policy Committee by League CEO Gilda Z. Jacobs
- Polling that shows widespread opposition to cutting the income tax
- OpEd by the League on the fallout in Kansas after they cut their income tax
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on economic opportunity for all. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
[…] bill, called House Bill 4001, were the Michigan Municipal League, the education community and the Michigan League for Public Policy. All these groups urged the committee to consider the budget consequences of such a reduction. And […]
[…] 74% to 16%. This included people from all political affiliations and areas of the state. I also testified in opposition to HB 4001 at the committee hearing along with several of our partners representing Michigan’s schools and […]