KEY LEGISLATION:
Streamlined Sales Tax Bills Finally Ready for Action
The package of bills bringing Michigan into compliance
with the national
Streamlined Sales Tax Project agreement cleared its last hurdle prior
to
introduction and action. All the groups involved in the discussions
have now
given their blessing to the final wording.
House Minority Leader Dianne Byrum (D-Onondaga) has
worked very hard to get
the package ready, putting in nearly 70 hours of discussions and
negotiations on the language with interested parties. She intends to
bypass
testimony on the package in committee and send it straight to the floor
for
action. Because all the groups involved, including MRA, have given the
drafts their blessings, the bills should be on their way to passage
in both
chambers relatively quickly.
Governor’s State of the State Focuses on Jobs
Governor Jennifer Granholm’s State of the State
Address provided a vision
for the upcoming year in Michigan. Her central theme was determination
to
retain and create good-paying jobs in a state that has faced budget
deficits
in the billions of dollars since she took office.
In her 56-minute address, Granholm focused on stopping
the loss of Michigan
jobs to other states and to countries such as Mexico. The governor
emphasized that low costs and low taxes are not enough to draw people
to the
state; rather, quality-of-life issues, such as low-cost health care,
education, good roads and safe streets, are also necessary.
Granholm received mostly praise from those in attendance,
although some
Republicans felt it borrowed liberally from their agenda. A complete
version
of Granholm’s address can be accessed at
http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-23442_21981-84911--,00.html.
Petroleum Pricing Committee Held in Senate
The Senate held testimony on the so-called Petroleum
Marketing Stabilization
Act in the Labor and Commerce Committee. The hearing was for testimony
only,
and those called to testify provided nearly the exact same message as
was
heard in the House.
MRA went on record opposing the legislation, SB 519.
The Association’s
opposition stems from its fundamental belief that the legislation
constitutes price setting and is anti free market. In addition, the
bill
would mean an increase of a minimum of $200 million per year in the
price
consumers pay for gasoline.
The committee chair, Sen. Jason Allen (R-Traverse City),
indicated that
further action in his committee might be forthcoming. MRA will continue
to
educate committee members in both the House and Senate about the flaws
in
these bills. MRA hosted an educational luncheon for subcommittee legislators
and staff to reinforce its position on the bill. The workgroup subcommittee
created to review the House bill will get underway next week.
Weather Shortens Legislative Week
The severe weather the state experienced not only shut
schools but also
forced the legislature to cancel session for the remainder of the week
after
the State of the State Address. Legislators were sent home Wednesday
morning, and later told not to report Thursday either. Session will
resume
its normal weekly schedule starting Tuesday.
KEY BILL INTRODUCTIONS:
No bills to report at this time.
To view the content and current status of retail-related
bills, visit BillTrack,
MRA's legislative tracking database exclusively for members, at
www.retailbilltrack.com
If you are currently receiving Capitol F@cts by fax
and would like to receive
it via e-mail, please contact Kathleen Wilson at 517.372.5656 or
kawilson@retailers.com.
For back issues of online Capitol F@cts, visit MRA's main Capitol F@cts page.
Specific comments or questions regarding this bulletin
should be directed to:
Kathleen Wilson, Administrative Assistant to the Governmental Affairs
Office at
kawilson@retailers.com.
Michigan Retailers Association
603 South Washington Avenue
Lansing, MI 48933
517.372.5656
Toll-Free: 800.366.3699
Fax: 517.372.1303
govt_affairs@retailers.com
www.retailers.com
www.mallofmichigan.com
