It's Not How You Govern, It's How You Look

You know, when I made a crack the other day about Gov. Jenny Granholm always getting a decent photo even when she’s raising taxes, I didn’t expect I’d be seeing a new example of it so soon. Then I pick up Wednesday's Detroit News:

Gov backs graduated income tax plan

Residents would pay higher rate as income rises; GOP senator says shift would drive out businesses.

Mark Hornbeck / Detroit News Lansing Bureau

LANSING -- A plan to adopt a graduated state income tax in exchange for scrapping an unpopular surcharge on the state's main business tax drew support from Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Tuesday.

But the top Republican in the state Senate slammed the idea, saying the plan would drive businesses and people out of the state.

Granholm said there are "preliminary discussions" behind the scenes between administration officials and legislators about adopting such a tax exchange.

"That's certainly something I'd be open to and supportive of," the governor said at a news conference.

The tax swap would require a constitutional amendment that would have to be passed by voters possibly this year or in 2010.

Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, said: "Switching a bad tax for a bad tax is not good policy. It's more of the same, old solutions that just don't work."