Whitmer ad claims ‘no new taxes’ despite $2.5B gas tax hike proposal

The governor has asked to raise taxes and fees while vetoing multiple tax cuts.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is touting new education and childcare accomplishments while bragging that they were accomplished with no new taxes.

Whitmer says in a new television ad that “The last few years have been tough, but we’re tougher and getting things done right now…without raising taxes.”

But in June, Whitmer vetoed a major tax cut bill that was passed by the Michigan legislature. The bill would have reduced taxes by up to $2.7 billion a year by cutting the personal income tax rate, expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, creating a $500 child tax credit and expanding exemptions for seniors and disabled military veterans.

Additionally, Whitmer vetoed similar tax cuts in March.

That’s something family budgets could have used during this period of record inflation.

More concerning is the fact that in 2019, Whitmer put forth a proposal to sharply increase the tax on gas and diesel fuel. Whitmer’s proposed tax hike would have raised $2.5 billion from motorists’ pockets via her 45 cent-per-gallon increase.

Even before inflation hit, Whitmer’s proposal was universally unpopular. Not one of the 66 Democratic members of the legislature even introduced a bill to enact the tax hike.

According to Michigan Capitol Confidential, had Whitmer’s plan been approved, Michigan’s average gas price today would be $4.56 per gallon, about 33 cents higher than the national average.

Finally, Whitmer was a staunch advocate for tax hikes as a state senator – voting in favor of three separate tax hikes proposed by Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

When Whitmer was in the state legislature, not only did she vote in favor of Granholm’s $1.35 billion tax hike package – which included an 11.5% income tax increase and a massive sales tax increase – but she repeatedly praised the governor, calling her a “strong advocate” who was “capable and ready to solve the problems of the state.” Further, Whitmer said she personally “ran all the budgets” for Granholm.

The governor is failing to tell the full story of her record on taxes.