Tax Plan Meets Resistance In State Senate

By Laura Weber

Leaders in the Republican state Senate say they still have to wrangle more votes to get a sweeping tax-reform package passed.

Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville says he will meet soon with Governor Rick Snyder and House Speaker Jase Bolger to update them on where the tax overhaul stands in the Senate.

"We want to be in sync. We've worked together as a team so far, and we want to continue to do that," he says.

Even though Richardville has been able to work well with Snyder and Bolger on the tax reform package, it appears he is still meeting resistance to the deal from his fellow Senate Republicans.

A handful of Republican senators have said they will not vote for the deal that includes a tax on future pensioners. Richardville says he will not make changes to the proposal as it was agreed upon and passed by the House. He hopes by next week to have enough votes to pass it through the Senate.

The tax reforms are expected to move in tandem with the next state budget.  Republican leaders in the state House expect a vote as soon as tomorrow on their spending plan for the coming year.