Should we tax pensions? Your opinion.

[Gene Clem]

We have heard a lot about whether to tax pension income on the Michigan income tax.  This was included in Gov. Snyder's budget proposal for the next two years. 

 

Our state senators and representatives have many tough choices to make and are reaching out to friends for advise.  They are asking Tea Party members all across the state what they are thinking.

 

This is your chance to voice your opinion.  Please go to the poll I constructed on google/docs and vote your opinion, yea or nay!  Then post your opinion on this forum.

 

If this works out well, we will forward the results to our reps in the SW MI area and the Tea Parties in other areas of the state.

 

Now, don't feel like some genius if you discover that you can vote more than once; just don't bother.  This is not a scientific survey, just a sense of where the folks in SW MI are at this point in time.

 

(Click Here to Vote)

[albaby]

Right-let the rest of Big Business move to Mexico-then see who pays to run this state.

Frank Buck said:

Pensions taxed and Big Business getting a $1.7 billion (per year) tax break?  No to both.

[JLB]

You have expressed my thoughts exactly.  Of course I don't want my pension taxed.  But then who does?  The way I see it, we all have to pitch in to save our state and as long as it is equal suffering, I say yes.

Joseph Evan Roberts said:

I am drawing a fixed pension but believe fair is fair and would not have a problem paying the tax  if it was applied evenly to any/all parties with no exemptions.  The Gov's message regarding the other 49 states is a 1/2 truth....in reality MI would become the 6th state that would not be giving any break to those receiving pensions.  All governments need funding, however, it needs to be = on all respects and needs to be reviewed/voted on by the citizens for final approval.

[Scott Arnett]

Let me see. Watching a bridge card holder purchase six candy bars and a beef jerky stick should be an indication that there are better places to address state expenditures. Pensioners have built their lives around their retirement income. Why are we not cutting fat out of these programs to allow across the board tax cuts rather than spreading the tax burden.

[David Stevens]

You bought into the rhetoric that they push on TV, matter of fact you sound like the propagahnda machine word for word. If you were honest and took into account what happens in a true retirement account is my investment would grow over time.  Last year I put into SSI over $7000.00, you double that for what my employer put into it that is over $14,000.00. Anyone who knows anything about 401's or 403's will tell you over a life time my account would be worth well over 1 MILLION DOLLARS.  The reason SSI is broke is not because of the liberal math you did or they do in DC but because when the money was coming in they were spending it on everything under the sun instead of investing it like they require private business to do.  All these people who want to spend other peoples money why don't you just write them a check and send it in?  I'm not cheap, I just don't think its my responsibility to bail out irresponsible behavior.  I'm one who believes in giving back a minimum of 10% of my income and I do.  I've found those who want to spend others money don't give anything back, they just take and want to spend my money, so if you want to bail Lansing out sit down right now and write them a check.

albaby said:

I am retired and have been for 15 years, I was in the workforce my entire life and never was on public assistance. Social Security is an investment in which you are recover at a certain age. I recieved more is SS in 6 years than both my employer and I both contributed. Thanks for the free ride for the last 9 years. I have no doubt you would rather shift the states debt burden to tomorrows workers even though you took advantage of the spending of and helped elect the people who got us into this mess.

David Stevens said:

I take it you don't work.

albaby said:

Explain

David Stevens said:

Second, my social security has already been taxed so I shouldn't even be paying a federal tax but thanks to Clinton (a democrat) I'm paying twice. 

[David Stevens]

Start my not funding give away programs, then make those who are on welfare or unemployment earn what they get by cleaning our streets, cutting lawns, we can find all kinds of work for them, you don't work you don't eat.  This is why we are going to go under, people just keep bailing the government out.  START CUTTING SPENDING FIRST.  When I say cut I don't mean in the smoke screen areas, start in the places like the arts, 4 H, welfare, and stop giving money to illegals.  Do you have any idea how many millions were talking about in that area?  Taxing take away from the economy and rewards bad behavior. If I have more money to spend I support my  local business's and they pay taxes and they hire who pay taxes. Those who believe we can tax our way out of this have no concept of economics, their socialist in their thinking.

JLB said:

You have expressed my thoughts exactly.  Of course I don't want my pension taxed.  But then who does?  The way I see it, we all have to pitch in to save our state and as long as it is equal suffering, I say yes.

Joseph Evan Roberts said:

I am drawing a fixed pension but believe fair is fair and would not have a problem paying the tax  if it was applied evenly to any/all parties with no exemptions.  The Gov's message regarding the other 49 states is a 1/2 truth....in reality MI would become the 6th state that would not be giving any break to those receiving pensions.  All governments need funding, however, it needs to be = on all respects and needs to be reviewed/voted on by the citizens for final approval.

[Jeff Monroe]

If a pension starts paying out before normal retirement age, it should be taxed. It should not be taxed on those above the retirement age. What is the retirement age? Lets define it, say 65.

[Jeff Monroe]

If a pension starts paying out before normal retirement age, it should be taxed. It should not be taxed on those above the retirement age. What is the retirement age? Lets define it, say 65.

[Matt Kleifgen]

I Agree :)

Jan Novak-Voeltzke said:

Well,this is a hard one.  I know teachers and public employees who receive extremely healthy, no contributions made by them, pensions....all footed by the weary middle class tax payers and weathy taxpayers too.  Since they have NEVER paid anything into their pension plans, I say tax those public union employees' pensions.  That's only fair.  Their pensions are unbelievably high...unrealistically so.  They have milked the system not only in gouging wages (THEY ARE NOT UNDERPAID, BELIEVE ME) and it's high time they fork over some money into some of their pension money one way or another---if it be taxable pensions for them, so be it.  Not for private industry...where employees pay into their own pensions...with some match from their employer, though.  Taxpayers have absolutely no say-so about wages for these public employees, teachers included.  We have no seat at the table yet we have to pay their wages.  It's incredibly unbalanced in favor of the public employees.

[David Stevens]

Let me ask you a question; you have a son that isn't working, he comes up to and say I need money for a car so I can get a job and I will pay you back with interest so you agree thinking good investment. He comes back to you and says there are no jobs out there with my  skill set so I need money for an education, pay insurance on my car and for gas, he tell you  he will get a great job and will pay you back with interest. Thousands of $$$$$ and four years later he comes up to you and says I failed school because classes were to hard.  You find out he didn't study, some classes he didn't even take but spent the money on booze and women. He comes up to you and says dad I need more money because I wan to move to another state where they have jobs and you don't even need a education.  Now all this time you have been borrowing more money to bail out your son and you are going to go under.  You can go to your other children and tell them they are going to have to do with out because your brother is irresponsible.  No college for you, no car but you will have to go to McDonalds now and bail me out so I can bail your brother out. I just bet you would believe your older sibling is now going to be responsible so you say yes.

Where has all the God given common sense gone these days?  Do you know how much you pay now in taxes of your income? Over 60% goes to the government and you want to give them more? What are you people thinking?  If you feel that strongly about it write them a check every time you get a check but keep your hands off of my money.  Snyder is  a millionaire, if he is willing to give all his money to the state and live on a fixed income then maybe we will talk.
JLB said:

You have expressed my thoughts exactly.  Of course I don't want my pension taxed.  But then who does?  The way I see it, we all have to pitch in to save our state and as long as it is equal suffering, I say yes.

Joseph Evan Roberts said:

I am drawing a fixed pension but believe fair is fair and would not have a problem paying the tax  if it was applied evenly to any/all parties with no exemptions.  The Gov's message regarding the other 49 states is a 1/2 truth....in reality MI would become the 6th state that would not be giving any break to those receiving pensions.  All governments need funding, however, it needs to be = on all respects and needs to be reviewed/voted on by the citizens for final approval.

[David Stevens]

Do your homework before making a comment and don't listen to gossip, teachers pay into retirement and were forced to, give me choice and I would prefer not to just like SSI, I want to control my money so when I die I can leave it to my son and not the government. Most government workers are on a 403.  

Matt Kleifgen said:

I Agree :)

Jan Novak-Voeltzke said:

Well,this is a hard one.  I know teachers and public employees who receive extremely healthy, no contributions made by them, pensions....all footed by the weary middle class tax payers and weathy taxpayers too.  Since they have NEVER paid anything into their pension plans, I say tax those public union employees' pensions.  That's only fair.  Their pensions are unbelievably high...unrealistically so.  They have milked the system not only in gouging wages (THEY ARE NOT UNDERPAID, BELIEVE ME) and it's high time they fork over some money into some of their pension money one way or another---if it be taxable pensions for them, so be it.  Not for private industry...where employees pay into their own pensions...with some match from their employer, though.  Taxpayers have absolutely no say-so about wages for these public employees, teachers included.  We have no seat at the table yet we have to pay their wages.  It's incredibly unbalanced in favor of the public employees.

[jaylweb]

Tax all pensions equally above 40k per year and no state taxes for those under 40k per year. 

 

Honestly, I don't believe we have a tax issue, but rather a spending issue. 

[Ken. W Steuerwald]

Janet Blazen said:

I don't think State or Federal Government should tax ANYTHING THAT YOU EARN, PERIOD !

 

I think the government leaders stink................I believe in the CONSTITUTION , I believe in FREEDOM, I think I am smart enough to run my OWN life and I don't need "BIG DADDY" telling me what to do and how and when to do it !