68 percent support modernizing MI’s tax system, including 51 percent of Republicans

LANSING – New polling from Lake Effect out this week found that a clear majority of Michigan residents support modernizing our state tax structure so that wealthy people pay more in taxes: 68 percent support, while just 20 percent oppose. Broken down by party affiliation, sixty-three percent of Independent voters and 51 percent of Republican voters support higher income taxes for the wealthy.

“Forty years ago, Michigan was a national leader in generating revenue for the public services that help boost our well-being, prosperity, and security,” said Fund MI Future Executive Director MoReno Taylor II. “But over the past two decades, our elected officials have fallen prey to outdated and flawed economic philosophies, such as ‘trickle down,’ and began shifting costs from those with the most resources to middle class families. This is deeply unfair and a recipe for declining growth. However, if the wealthiest pay their fair share, we’ll have the revenue we need to support infrastructure and critical services like excellent schools; clean, affordable water; and mental healthcare.”

A recent survey by EPIC-MRA on behalf of the State Innovation Exchange (SiX) found overwhelming support from Michiganders for funding these types of priorities. For example, 87 percent of respondents support “providing additional state funding to provide assistance to the needs of different children, especially those in special education, learning English, living in poverty, or living in isolated, rural areas” and 84 percent support “state officials using most of those funds to provide additional funding for road repairs, needed improvements to older school buildings, and water infrastructure upgrades.”

Fund MI Future is a joint effort of community organizations, unions of working people, and policy experts. FMF is working to create shared prosperity for all Michiganders by fully and fairly funding our public services like schools, roads, and clean water.

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