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Michigan News
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Water Dept. double standard
Eighteen months ago, Detroit officials announced a
crackdown on overdue water bills. It was said that $59 million was
owed to the Detroit Water and Sewage Department by residents and
businesses.
Almost immediately, working people in Detroit,
Highland Park and Hamtramck were targeted for shutoffs.
Most of these shutoffs were done as the weather
turned cold, meaning that residents were also forced to endure
bitter cold temperatures with no heat and no water.
But now, an audit of the water department’s
outstanding bills shows who are the biggest deadbeats: the
capitalists.
Of the $48 million still owed to DWSD, close to
$19 million is owed by corporations — none of which are under threat
of shutoff.
It would be interesting to compare this list of
top deadbeats to the list of recipients of “corporate welfare” from
the City and state.
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Another cigarette tax?!
It seems Gov. Granholm has a brilliant idea about
how to help balance the state budget: increase the taxes on a pack
of cigarettes by 80 percent.
Over the past decade, Michigan residents who smoke
watched as the tax quintupled, from 25 cents to $1.25 a pack. With
Granholm’s proposed tax, the amount will rise to $2 a pack.
Granholm says the proposed tax will add $300
million to the state budget, helping to close the $1 billion gap.
Never mind, of course, that most smokers are
workers making well under the average wage, and are already
overburdened by taxes and high prices, while being forced to take
wage concessions.
Never mind, as well, that nicotine is an addictive
drug, and it is not possible for most smokers to simply quit “cold
turkey” — which means that poor smokers will be put further into
debt.
If the state government was really interested in
closing the “budget gap,” then maybe they should stop giving
handouts to greedy corporations.
Michigan Briefs are compiled by the staff of
the Michigan Socialist. |
