Tax on Services vote to come this Friday

(September 14, 2007)

Today the House of Representatives put

House Joint Resolution (HJR)

X up for a vote.

HJR X would raise the current sales tax

from 6 percent to 7 percent.

As a resolution, it would have to go before the vote

of the people on a ballot for approval.

To put HJR X on the ballot, the house

needed 2/3 of the 110 members to vote yes.

That did not happen and the vote was cleared and the

House has adjourned until Friday.

The next step is a vote on sales tax on services.

Speaker of the House Andy Dillon has said he

will be holding a vote this Friday

to find funds to raise revenues to balance the budget.

The Speaker told media that his

preference would be for a hike

in the income tax with an expansion

of the sales tax to some services,

but the exact details won't be ironed

out until he speaks with his caucus.

When Governor Granholm wanted

to pass her 2 percent plan earlier

in the year the building industry

was considered a luxury to be taxed.

Your government relations team is

down at the Capitol continuing

to argue against added taxes

to the building industry,

new construction and remodeling alike.

BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Please contact your state

representatives and tell them to vote NO on

any sales tax on services.

The MAHB opposed earlier bills that would

expand the sales tax by two percent -

we also oppose a 6 percent sales tax on services.

You can find your legislator by copying the following

link into your browser -

http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp.

Please let Dawn Crandall at the MAHB office

know who you contacted and their response.

She can be reached by phone at 1.800.748.0432

or by email at crandall.dawn@mahb.com.

The Michigan Association of Home Builders

has joined a coalition opposing the tax on services.

You can find out more information by

going to www.stoptheservicestax.com.

Should you have any questions, please

do not hesitate to contact Dawn.