1500 senior citizens gather in Lansing, MI to protest plan to tax their pensions as ordinary income

[Amerigo Vespucci]

March 16, 2011 07:00 AM
Gov. Rick Snyder Betrays Seniors for Corporations

By karoli

http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/gov-rick-snyder-betrays-seniors-corporation



When you lose senior citizens and you claim to be a conservative, you might want to rethink your policies. 1500 senior citizens gathered in Lansing, Michigan to protest Governor Rick Snyder's plan to tax their pensions as ordinary income.

“I’ve never been political, but this is a power grab,” said Jennifer Cherrette, 55, a Lansing-area retired state employee who said her pension is less than $20,000 a year. “And it’s not about the budget. It’s about our governor taking our money and giving it to big business. And now he wants those emergency managers. It’s wrong, and it’s not about the budget.”

She added, “This isn’t about old people, this about working America and killing the middle class.”

Retiree Bob Fox, 67, of Hartland, said the state should raise the tax on beer rather than tax his pension.

“It’s going to a tax cut for big business, that’s the problem,” he said.

[jwirr]

1. Hmmm. Lately this age group has been seem most often at

teabag rallies. Are they waking up or has this group just been a silent majority for a while?

[Oceansaway]

2. k & r...nt

[Monique1]

3. I already pay taxes on pension

here in Az.

[LiberalAndProud]

4. We should all aspire to emulate Arizona less.

I'm sorry your pension is taxed. Does that apply to the snowbirds as well? Seems pretty unfair if not.

[WinkyDink]

5. Are you a retired public employee? In PA, our pensions are not taxed.

[hfojvt]

6. call me a heretic, but I think pensions should be taxed

So her pension is less than $20,000. A working person in Kansas making $20,000 would pay about $500 in state income taxes. If a young working person can afford it, and must pay it, then why shouldn't a person pay it who is not working for their money?

I don't think retired people should be favored over working people.

I know that's not a popular position with retired people - and they do vote in higher percentages than younger, working people.

That's one of the reasons they are favored by the government.

The other reason is that they can move. The working person is tied to their job. Start taxing a retired person and they can move to a place with lower taxes and take their pension income with them.

[roguevalley]

7. problems: You lose a cola usually when you move away from a

state to find a lower place to live. Fixed incomes. You get what you get at a time of life where no one wants to hire you and costs are higher for you due to health and shit. Wait til you retire. You will eat your words I guarantee it.

[eilen]

8. I just met a guy in the hospital who is in his mid-70's

that works at Walmart putting together grills and bikes and stuff like that.

He really enjoys it. I don't know if he gets a pension. Most guys his age in our area here are GE retirees but many are not.

One lady I met said she worked there for 25 years and her husband had worked there for 40. They both had full pensions. She said it's a shame there are not pensions like that anymore. She said that was what started our downfall (upstate rustbelt city) was when GE left-- offshored.


I'd rather see dividends taxed as earned income before pensions.

[hfojvt]

9. I think many costs are lower

Consider the costs that a young person faces.

1. Renting or trying to buy a home vs. many older people who bought homes long ago that are fully paid for, or at least much cheaper than they are now. Even the house I bought for $35K in 2001 might sell today for $45K and thus required higher payments.

2. child care expenses

3. saving for college, maybe

4. saving for retirement

5. saving against the possibility of job loss

6. paying social security taxes of 7.65 to 15.3%

Fixed income? That is only true if the retirement does not involve a COLA. Many retired people also get a fair amount of money from social security which typically gets a COLA.

[Starry Messenger]

10. k&r

[Michigan-Arizona]

11. K&R n/t