GOP leader trashes Whitmer's business, income tax changes

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A top Republican lawmaker on Wednesday strongly criticized Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's proposal to raise taxes on some businesses to help ease the burden on retirees, calling it "stupid."

The Democrat's budget proposal would reverse parts of a tax rewrite enacted by former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and the GOP-led Legislature in 2011. Whitmer contends that the moves are needed to soften the impact of her proposed 45-cents-a-gallon fuel tax increase to fix the roads, and to restore tax breaks for pensioners and low-income earners.

"I'm going to say this as gently as I possibly can: Taking actions like that would be doubling down on stupid," said Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey of Clarklake.