Luxury Tax Response from Gov.Granholm

If you remember a little while back(Tuesday June 26th) I sent an e-mail to Gov.Granholm regarding a Luxury Tax on sports and entertainment tickets, and below is the response I was sent from her office. Go to the bottom of the response for more comments.



Dear Mr. S(aka- Pvt. Gump):

Thank you for contacting Governor Granholm’s office. Your email in opposition to increased taxes on tickets to sporting events and other entertainment venues has been received and read. The following is the Governor’s response on the issue:



“To resolve the unprecedented fiscal crisis facing our state I have been working to enact the plan that I introduced in my State of the State address and in the budget I submitted to the Legislature. It is based on a balanced approach that combines additional cuts in government spending, with reforms that reduces the cost of government and new revenues. Through this approach, we could invest in the things we need to bring jobs to our state and avoid the deep cuts to education, health care and public safety that would jeopardize any chance we have for economic recovery.



Since offering this plan, I have eliminated the approximately $1 billion shortfall in our current budget, which resulted in cuts to every department of state government. In addition, I was able to reach agreement with the Legislature to replace our Single Business Tax when it expires at the end of the year. This prevents adding $2 billion to our $1.8 billion deficit in the Fiscal Year 2008 budget and gives Michigan a competitive business tax that will make it easier to keep existing jobs here and attract new investment and jobs to our state.



As these most recent spending cuts and the $4 billion in deficits I resolved in my first term indicate, I am willing to make tough choices to balance the budget. However, I reject a “cuts alone” solution to the deficit because it would result in severe funding reductions to schools, health care and our police and fire departments. Without new revenue and cost cutting reforms, we would give up any hope of economic recovery for our state.



The Legislature is entertaining numerous proposals about the best way to generate revenue, including a tax on high-end discretionary services. While I believe that new revenues must be part of the overall solution to our budget deficit, I cannot predict with any certainty which of these many proposals for new revenue will become legislation that reaches my desk. I will keep your views in mind as negotiations over the Fiscal Year 08 budget go forward.”


Again, thank you for your correspondence to the Governor’s office.


L. S., Assistant to T. G.
Constituent Services Division
Office of Governor Jennifer M. Granholm


Did the Governors office just tell me to F-off, because it just sounded like it!? You will keep my opinions in mind, sure you will.

Where the state gets the money is important and a concern, but my point was and still is "Do not tax our free time recreational outlets." Hell, we have to work more hours or more jobs just to provide for our families, which means less time with them anyway so dumping a state tax on top of that is an insult to an already injured situation. This is the same old issue of an elected official telling the general public to get bent and deal with it. Its sad that we have to put up with this low level Dictatorship type governing.

So in closing I want to say sorry to local sports, I can not support you anymore due to being taxed to death by my State Government and basic lack of fiscal responsibility.

If the above is the best our State can do maybe we need to look for outside help.

Ticket Luxury Tax

The Detroit Tigers had this up on their website. It details what we all need to know. How many times in the past few years did you say to yourself..."boy I would really like to take in a game" only to be disappointed by the astronomical prices! Now take that disappointment and add 6% tax on it. And sportscasters were asking where the fans were this NHL playoffs....well, there's going to be a lot less if this proposed tax passes. See article from detroit.tigers.mlb.com


In the next few days, the Legislature is expected to introduce a new "Luxury Tax" of 6% on all tickets to attend professional sporting events, concerts, shows and movies in Michigan. It is estimated that this new tax will increase ticket prices by over $100 million per year:
• $24 million per year tax on sports tickets for Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons, Lions, Michigan International Speedway, minor league baseball and hockey.
• $48 million per year tax on shows and performances like those at the Fox Theater, Palace, DTE, Meadow Brook, Purple Rose Theater and DeVos arena for shows like Sesame Street Live, Lion King, White Christmas and performances by the American Idols.
• $32 million per year tax on movie tickets to every movie in every movie theater in the state:
A family of four with season tickets to the Tigers would be forced to pay new taxes ranging from $230 to more than $1,200 per year.
A family of four with season tickets to the Red Wings would be forced to pay new taxes from $597 to more than $1,900 per year.
We Must Stop the Ticket Tax
The Ticket Tax Targets Families, Kids and Teenagers.
Taking your family to a ball game, a show, or a movie is one of the most cherished traditions in Michigan. It's not a luxury. It's the way we spend our hard earned money after all the taxes are taken out of our paychecks and all the bills are paid. It's how teenagers spend their babysitting money and kids spend their allowances.
The Ticket Tax Targets Working Families.
Most of the tickets to attend sporting events, shows and movies are not purchased by corporations and the wealthy. Michigan's working families purchase them. Families that are struggling today to survive today's difficult economic conditions in our state. Families that already pay income taxes and sales taxes, and $3.20 for a gallon of gasoline.

If Lansing is going to Tax Our Work...Don't touch our Play
The Legislature is already looking to raise the income tax across the board on working families and retirees. Why add an additional burden on Michigan's working families?

The Highest Ticket Tax in the Region.
The Ticket Tax would give Michigan the highest sports and entertainment ticket tax in the region. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania have a "O" tax on family fun.

$3.20 Per Gallon, a Tough Economy and a Ticket Tax Don't Add Up.
The high price of gas and a tough economy are forcing Michigan families to seek entertainment venues closer to home. Adding the burden of a ticket tax might just put the cost of a family night out for a concert or a ball game out of reach.

The Legislature May Take Action on The Ticket Tax Without a Public Hearing.
The state Legislature may take this tax up without a public committee hearing, which would give fans across Michigan an opportunity to tell them how ticked off they are about this ticket tax. That's why people need to act today to contact their legislator. This may be the only chance to tell your lawmakers what you think about this ticket tax idea.

How We Can Stop the Ticket Tax:

1. Contact the Governor, your State Representative and your State Senator. Tell them you oppose the Ticket tax. Spending time with your family is not a luxury to be taxed.

2. If you don't know your legislators' email or phone number, go toNoTicketTax.com. There you will find links to the Governor's email and to email addresses and phone numbers for your State Representative and State Senator.

3. Or call 1-877-No-TK-Tax (1-877-688-5529) to get the phone numbers you need to call for the Governor and legislative leaders. Email Today...Call Today...Act Today Fans Against The Ticket Tax

Email Today...Call Today...Act Today
Fans Against the Ticket Tax