Reply #2: DeVos is running for governor for one reason [View All]

[louis-t]

Actually two. First is to deliver elimination of SBT. State Repugs wrote a bill to eliminate it, Dem Gov. Granholm gave it her support, Repugs dropped the bill. Why should they give it to a Dem? DeVos was gaining on Granholm so they decided to wait and see if he could get elected. Shows how "important" this is to the right. "We could get it done now, but let's wait a year so we can get credit for it." Second is to continue the "legacy" of former governor John Engler. Engler spent years travelling around the state saying "I lowered 22 taxes, I lowered 23 taxes" (he also raised a few). When he left office, the state was $1 billion in debt. Engler had given the biggest manufacturing companies in the state huge tax breaks hoping they would stay. Instead, most of the largest companies took their tax refunds, gave a few bucks to the Repug party, and promptly left the state. (Engler was rewarded for his efforts in the form of a cushy job as head of a manufacturing group.)Engler had tried to hide most of the debt, but an audit done after Granholm took office showed, in Granholm's words, "It's worse than we thought and it's worse than we were told."