Here comes the new tax package!

On the day of his election as Speaker of the House, Andy Dillon said (I paraphrase) "...and we Democrats will never do to you Republicans what you did to us. We will make sure you have time to read every bill before you are asked to vote on it." Well, Mr. Dillon must think we all attended the Evelyn Wood speed reading course. The 134 page new business tax bill was posted on our floor computers approximately 17 seconds before the board was opened for the record roll call vote.

Typically, when the board is opened for a vote, any member can stand up and request that the board be cleared so the bill sponsor can explain the bill. It only takes 22 members voting "aye" for this request to have the voting stopped. This is a courtesy that is always extended to colleagues. Not today. We asked four times for the board to be cleared. We were denied.

You, the taxpayers of Michigan, were denied the opportunity to be heard. The tax bill passed with all the democrats and four republicans voting YES.

Stay tuned for further developments.