Average is unacceptable

State Representative Aldo Vagnozzi’s recent letter on Michigan’s economic climate does a good job of cherry-picking data from a 50-state study by the Taxpayers Network. To paint a rosy picture, Vagnozzi quotes some of the better statistics for Michigan while holding back on the uglier rankings. For example, according to the study Michigan has the ninth highest tax rate in the country on telecommunications services. Our state leaders claim they want to diversify and bring Michigan’s economy into the 21st century but we punish a large segment of the economy that is booming with innovation and growth.

Likewise, Vagnozzi ignores our state’s ranking in the corporate tax index. That index shows us dead last with the worst corporate tax burden in the country. We have the Single Business Tax (SBT) to thank for this dubious honor. Unfortunately, our representative and his political party loathe its elimination.

Even in these dark economic times, kernels of positive information can be found if we parse the data enough and Vagnozzi has done so. Personally, I find it pathetic that the best statistics he can come up with show Michigan as “average”. In order for Michigan to pull itself out of decline, average must be considered unacceptable. Voters should demand better leadership from our elected officials. Fortunately, we get that opportunity in November.

[Letter to the Editor - Farmington Observer. Published 07/13/2006.]