logo
Michigan proposal to tax the rich, fund schools raises questions with business groups

Michigan proposal to tax the rich, fund schools raises questions with business groups

Yahoo09-06-2025
(Getty Images)
A group of Michigan educational and labor organizations launched a ballot initiative to let Michigan voters decide if they want to place higher taxes on wealthy Michiganders to fund public K-12 schools this week and business groups are questioning how beneficial the change would be for the state.
Michigan's 4.25% income tax rate has billionaires and teachers paying the same rate, Michigan Education Justice Coalition, one of the education groups behind the ballot initiative to add a 5% income tax hike for individuals with incomes over $500,000 and couples earning over $1 million said Thursday.
One of the key questions business groups will be considering when evaluating the proposed additional increases in income tax rates is how any change would impact Michigan's competitiveness as a place to live and do business, Joshua Lunger, vice president of Government Affairs for the Grand Rapids Chamber, told Michigan Advance on Friday.
The chamber will be reviewing the ballot initiative before taking any official position on it, but right away, Lunger said a lot of states that are growing have no income tax or are trying to reduce their income tax rates, so it's important to evaluate what the unique impact on Michigan would be.
That's what the chamber did when it opposed the 2010 temporary income tax increase for Grand Rapids residents and then supported maintaining the tax increase with the condition that the city funded road repairs, Lunger said.
'It really comes down to, what is it being used for? What's the potential impact? And both positive and negative, are there any other unintended consequences?' Lunger said.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Michigan's public school system has historically been underfunded with Michigan State University researchers finding that the state's funding for K-12 schools dropped further than any other state in the two decades before the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the pandemic, Michigan students experienced some of the worst learning losses in the country, a 2025 report from EdTrust-Midwest, a Michigan-based, education advocacy nonprofit group, found. The report also noted Michigan ranked among the worst states in the country for funding the educational success of low-income students, who are testing lower in Michigan than national averages on 3rd grade reading tests and 7th grade math tests.
Michigan's reading scores for younger students are some of the worst in the country, a pain point with decisionmakers in Lansing when discussing state budgets and spending decisions. But another focus area is Michigan's stagnating population growth and the necessity to entice businesses to come to Michigan and for Michiganders to remain in the state's workforce.
In order for Michigan to get on track to grow, the state should be incentivizing economic success, not further taxing it, Jase Bolger, president and CEO of the West Michigan Policy Forum said in a statement in response to the ballot initiative Friday morning.
Instead of throwing money at Michigan's educational system that is failing to address the needs of students, Bolger said parents should be provided more information about the status of their child's learning and if they're meeting expectations.
'Way too many kids in Michigan can't read, but it's clear these adults can't do simple math. Today in Michigan, the more you make the more you pay. But worse is that this proposal would drive Michigan further in the wrong direction,' Bolger said. 'While states that are growing are overwhelmingly cutting taxes on work, or don't tax work at all, this would double down on Michigan's lagging policies that have led to the fastest growing unemployment rate in the country.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

I led teams at Meta and Airbnb. My Big Tech career taught me an important lesson about dealing with chaos and crisis at work.
I led teams at Meta and Airbnb. My Big Tech career taught me an important lesson about dealing with chaos and crisis at work.

Yahoo

time10 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

I led teams at Meta and Airbnb. My Big Tech career taught me an important lesson about dealing with chaos and crisis at work.

Judd Antin has held leadership roles at Meta and Airbnb, where he worked between 2012 and 2022. During that time, he led teams through rapid changes, such as layoffs. He learned one secret to effective leadership: authentic clarity. Over the course of my career in Big Tech, I've been lucky to work at several successful, fast-growing companies. At Meta and Airbnb, I helped scale research and design teams from 2012 to 2022, ultimately becoming Head of Design Studio at Airbnb. I loved building teams of talented people, but it wasn't all roses. Rapid changes and looming crises were constants, as they seem to be at most companies. For example, I was working at Airbnb when COVID-19 hit in 2020. The company lost 80% of its business in a matter of weeks, and by May, I was forced to lay off more than 25% of my team. Managing that crisis and recovery was one of the most difficult leadership crucibles of my career. The everyday chaos of a fast-paced company was just as educational, though, and one strategy for managing it rose above the rest. The secret to effective leadership in times of change — whether it's reorgs, strategy shifts, or layoffs — is to provide authentic clarity. Clarity allows people to move forward calmly, even if they don't have all the answers. In a chaotic environment, providing clarity takes frequent communication in an authentic voice. Clarity, not certainty Early in my leadership career, I mistakenly assumed that being a decisive leader in a crisis meant projecting certainty. My logic was that people need to be reassured their leader knows exactly what to do. I quickly realized that was a fantasy. I can't remember a single time in my leadership career when I had all the answers. Once, in an effort to project certainty, I confidently presented some details using guesswork. But things were moving fast, and the information I shared was proven wrong just days later. What I thought would be useful only made me look foolish and ultimately damaged my team's trust in me. After a few failed efforts, I realized my team didn't need me to have all the answers; they just needed me to provide clarity about what was happening. I learned the importance of clarity in three key areas: What is happening? It's essential to clearly state the facts as you know them, even if they're incomplete, to help people process what's happening. Why is it happening? Sharing the "what" without the "why" is a key mistake. My understanding of the "why" was usually incomplete, but sharing any context I had helped my teams make sense of it. What does it mean for me? It's usually hard for people to translate high-level changes down to their level. Even simple reminders like "Your day-to-day work won't change," or "Here's when we'll know how this will affect our road map," helped people feel calmer. The best leaders I've worked with were proactive about answering these questions, reaching out to teams early and often. I made it a practice to hold frequent Q&A sessions with my teams, and say things like: "Good question, I don't know. Let me see if I can find out." I found that even a response like that could be clarifying. Communicate like a human People can tell immediately when leaders aren't being themselves, so it's important to communicate in your own voice. Early in my career, I followed instructions from HR or internal comms teams and stuck to the talking points. I used templates for my emails and repeated the language I was given during leadership meetings. But my team quickly called me out, and I realized I was hurting my reputation by communicating like a corporate puppet. Rather than relying on jargon or HR talking points, I started trying to speak honestly and vulnerably. The strategy I developed wasn't going rogue in a sensitive situation; it was translating the company's carefully chosen talking points into my own voice, using empathy. In practice, this also meant I'd say things like: "I don't know what's going to happen either. The uncertainty isn't great, but I'll let you know as soon as I know more." Or: "This sucks. Layoffs are hard for everyone, especially when it's good friends and talented colleagues we're saying goodbye to." Acknowledging real things like frustration or mistakes helped build trust by signalling we were all in the same boat. Repeat yourself. Then repeat yourself. The No. 1 mistake I've noticed leaders make during times of change isn't just poor communication; it's infrequent communication. Even leaders who were good at providing authentic clarity weren't doing so consistently. They'd communicate once and assume everyone understood. Or worse, they'd say nothing until they had all the answers, or there was something new to say. But that vacuum would often be filled with gossip and speculation. I learned the solution was simply to repeat the message. I'd share the most important messages multiple times via several channels and in different words, because different framings might resonate with different people. People have high anxiety and a short memory in times of crisis. Touching base often, even if there's little new information to share, builds confidence in a visible, highly present leader. Even without new information, it helps people feel confident that they didn't miss something. Leading through change was never about having all the answers During my Big Tech career, I observed that the most effective leaders in a crisis were rarely the ones with all the answers or the boldest vision. They were the ones who communicated clearly, showed up consistently, and were willing to be authentic. That's what builds trust and gets teams through chaos. Representatives for Meta and Airbnb did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Do you have a story to share about managing teams through rough seas in Big Tech? Contact the editor, Charissa Cheong, at ccheong@ Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword

Lexus of Albuquerque Unveils New Multi-Million Dollar Sales, Service, and Parts Facility
Lexus of Albuquerque Unveils New Multi-Million Dollar Sales, Service, and Parts Facility

Yahoo

time10 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Lexus of Albuquerque Unveils New Multi-Million Dollar Sales, Service, and Parts Facility

Expansion Expected to Shorten Service Times and Enhance the Lexus Guest Experience ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., July 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a 20-month, multi-million dollar renovation including ground-up construction, Lexus of Albuquerque will officially unveil its new, state-of-the-art dealership next Tuesday. Grand reopening activities, featuring food, drink, and entertainment—not to mention the newest Lexus models—will take place from 6-8 pm, Tuesday, July 29 at the new dealership, located at 4821 Pan American Fwy. in Albuquerque. Lexus of Albuquerque is part of Houston-based Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI), one of the country's largest owners of automotive dealerships, franchises, and collision centers. "From the moment guests drive up, they're surrounded by a sleek and modern dealership with the amenities that Lexus owners expect and deserve," said Mont Porter, General Manager of Lexus of Albuquerque. "Everything from new speed doors that open up to an air-conditioned service drive-up, to solar-powered lot lighting, the addition of EV chargers, and new landscaping, we've focused on creating a premium customer experience, and we invite our guests to come see it for themselves." The previous dealership facility, which was 25 years old, no longer met the needs of customers and Lexus team members, according to Porter. The new dealership includes a new car wash, double the number of service bays from 16 to 32, and space to hire more service technicians, which Porter said he plans to expand to 30 from its current 21. The new showroom, decorated with Albuquerque city themes and southwestern colors, can accommodate 22 salespeople and more cars. In total, more than 17,000 square feet of space has been added for parts and service, including relocating the parts department cashier to the front waiting area for added guest convenience. The new showroom also includes an upscale customer waiting area with complimentary drinks, snacks, and wi-fi. In Group 1's tradition of giving back, Lexus of Albuquerque is making a $10,000 donation to Girls on the Run, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that believes physical activity-based positive youth development programs can enhance girls' social, emotional, and physical skills and behaviors to navigate life experiences successfully. About Group 1 Automotive, Inc. Group 1 owns and operates 258 automotive dealerships, 322 franchises, and 39 collision centers in the United States and the United Kingdom that offer 36 brands of automobiles. Through its dealerships and omni-channel platform, the Company sells new and used cars and light trucks; arranges related vehicle financing; sells service and insurance contracts; provides automotive maintenance and repair services; and sells vehicle parts. Group 1 discloses additional information about the Company, its business, and its results of operations at and Media Contact: Kimberly BartaHead of Marketing and CommunicationsGroup 1 Automotive, Inc.503-539-0756kbarta@ View original content: SOURCE Group 1 Automotive, Inc. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Report – Inter Milan Targeting €30M In Sales To Finance Move For Parma Star
Report – Inter Milan Targeting €30M In Sales To Finance Move For Parma Star

Yahoo

time10 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Report – Inter Milan Targeting €30M In Sales To Finance Move For Parma Star

Inter Milan are reportedly seeking to bring in €30 million from sales to finance a deal for Parma defender Giovanni Leoni. Today's print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via FCInterNews, report that fees for Kristjan Asllani, Sebastiano Esposito, Tomas Palacios, and Mehdi Taremi could facilitate Leoni's arrival. Parma defender Giovanni Leoni is right at the top of Inter's list of targets at the back. The Nerazzurri are fully convinced that the teenager is the right player for the future of their defense. Inter had missed out on Leoni's signature last summer. However, they are more determined to sign him than ever now, particularly considering the Parma connection with coach Cristian Chivu. Inter Target €30M In Sales To Finance Giovanni Leoni Deal PARMA, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Amin Sarr of Hellas Verona FC competes for the ball with Giovanni Leoni of Parma Calcio during the Serie A match between Parma and Verona at Stadio Ennio Tardini on December 15, 2024 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by) As ever, the problem remains Parma's high asking price for Leoni. The Gialloblu are holding out for a fee of €40 million to sell the teenage defender. And particularly if Inter are to move for Ademola Lookman, that will be no small fee. However, the Corriere dello Sport report, Inter expect that they can get closer to a deal by making some sales. The newspaper anticipate that with €30 million in incoming fees, Inter can start talks for Leoni. There are four main candidates to leave to reach at least that number, the Corriere report. These would be midfielder Kristjan Asllani, defender Tomas Palacios, and strikers Sebastiano Esposito and Mehdi Taremi.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store