Grand Rapids, MI voters vote to raise their income taxes

[bluestateguy]

Go suck a teabag if you don't like it!

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_story.aspx?storyid=121202&catid=14

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM)- Grand Rapids voters have decided the fate of an income tax increase.

They approved the measure 9,763 to 9,559 against.

The initiative will increase taxes for resident individuals to 1.5 percent while non residents workers will be asked to pay .75 percent.

Currently Grand Rapids residents are taxed 1.3 percent on income- while non-residents who work in Grand Rapids are taxed .65 percent.

Elected officials say the temporary increase is a five year band aid. It goes into effect on July 1st of this year and expires in 2015.

There was an organized opposition to the measure claiming city leaders had to cut more fat and reduce spending. The city said it had cut all it could and needed to do something to address the $27-million operating deficit.

The tax increase is expected to generate $7- million a year. Though it won't dig the city out of its financial trouble it will provide some revenue for five years so they can re-tool city operations.

[KingFlorez]

1. Grand Rapids is Republican territory

It's quite interesting that they voted to hike taxes there.

[bluestateguy]

2. Obama won Kent County in 2008

It was a "1964" county, meaning the first time that county went Blue since LBJ's landslide.

[KingFlorez]

4. Thanks for the clarification

[lakerboy]

3. Sort of

The surrounding area is traditionally Republican. The City of Grand Rapids, however, is decidedly Democratic. The city hasn't voted for a Republican since George H.W. Bush in '88.

And with the '08 election results with Kent County voting for Obama, we have evidence that the whole region is slowly trending blue.

[KingFlorez]

5. I forgot that the county flipped in 2008

[Mari333]

6. well that will suck for my son and his wife

they are barely keeping their heads above water.