GOP Priorities in the New Year Could be Good News for Taxpayers

Republicans are releasing some of their priorities heading into the new session and a tax break appears to be topping the list in both chambers.

House Speaker Jase Bolger has announced that he's looking at possible tax cuts for residents.  Not getting specific, but saying it could come in the reduction of the income tax rate.

The state is dealing with more than a billion dollar surplus and the lines to divy up the windfall is already forming. Some believe that money should go back--at least in part--to taxpayers.  Republicans say the money should be returned in some way to those it really belongs to--the taxpayer.

Ideas being floated include scaling back the income tax rate to 3.9% over a number of years.  Others are opting for a one-time payout to return at least some of the money to residents.  and others yet are taking more of a wait and see attitude wanting to wait until the revenue estimating conference to get a clearer picture of just how much is available to give back.

Pepublicans in the Senate are also on board with a return of some of the surplus to residents.  They echo sentiments in the state House that the money isn't theirs to spend.  They're also looking to focus on road improvement funding in 2014--which Governor Snyder may again address in his State of the State address next week--along with education reform, more privacy rights for gun owners, and the continued crackdown on human trafficking.