HILDENBRAND, COLLEAGUES URGE HOUSE ACTION TO IMPROVE ECONOMY

Michigan must eliminate a job-killing tax to encourage economic recovery and the state House shouldn't wait another month before taking up the issue, Rep. Dave Hildenbrand and many of his House and Senate colleagues said today.

The lawmakers stood in a near-empty state Capitol building to demand the Michigan House vote on legislation approved by the Senate last week to phase out the massive Michigan Business Tax surcharge over the next three years. The House was not in session last week, hardly met this summer, and has no concrete plans to meet until after the Nov. 4 election.

"Gov. Granholm has stated she will go anywhere and do anything to bring jobs to Michigan," said Hildenbrand of Lowell. "Apparently, that message is not trickling down through the rest of her party, because all the Democratic House leadership needs to do is show up for work in Lansing to eliminate one of our state's largest obstacles to business success.

"I am hoping that the Governor will impress the importance upon the Democratic leadership in the House to come back to Lansing and address these issues. The MBT surcharge is hurting job growth in Michigan only because some House members aren't here doing their jobs."

Michigan's unemployment rate was 7.5 percent in October 2007, when the surcharge was created. Today's unemployment rate stands at 8.9 percent. If the surcharge is eliminated over a three-year period, Michigan businesses could use the savings to sustain thousands of jobs for residents.

"Last week's repeal of the MBT surcharge by the Senate was an aggressive, bipartisan move to provide relief to thousands of Michigan job providers and businesses across the state," said Senate Majority Leader Michael D. Bishop, R-Rochester Hills. "The House Democratic leadership's unwillingness to pass this legislation is just another example of politics trumping policy. In these tough economic times, Senate Republicans recognize it's our job as lawmakers to do whatever we can to help businesses and our economy rebound in Michigan. It's time for the House leadership to hear that wake-up call, and pass this jobs-creating legislation."

Rep. Hildenbrand and his house colleagues stand waiting on Democratic leadership to act on the MT surcharge repeal.

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