Bottom Up Politics

Michigan’s primary for the 2^nd Congressional Race heating up. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Republican Primary Race to see who will become the Candidate to fill the shoes of Peter Hoekstra is full up and starting to show the vigor with which the candidates have begun to campaign.

There are four Republicans running.  Billy Cooper, Bill Huizenga, Wayne Kuipers and Jay Riemersma.  To date and for your information I have interviewed Wayne Kuipers and Jay Reimersma.  See link called “Interview sets”.

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http://bottomuppolitics.com/interview_sets_26.html
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Jay Riemersma recently (October 7^th) put the following up on his website, and sent it out in an email.

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Business Leaders Endorse Jay Riemersma

Date: October 7, 2009
For Immediate Release

Holland, MI – Today the Jay Riemersma for Congress Campaign announced endorsements from a number of key West Michigan business and community leaders.

These endorsements come on the heels of Riemersma officially announcing his campaign and signing the Americans for Tax Reform Pledge not to increase taxes. Two of Riemersma’s opponents in the Republican Primary voted for the job-killing Michigan Business Tax (MBT).

“I am humbled to have the support of these important business leaders and job providers in West Michigan,” said Riemersma. “I’ll honor the trust they’ve placed in me by standing up for my conservative principles and making sure the Obama administration’s reckless-spending doesn’t lead to increased taxes.”

The business leaders endorsing Riemersma include Ambassador Peter Secchia, Dick Haworth, and Jim VanderKolk, among others.

“The MBT is unfair to small business and could be the worst tax in the country. It should never have passed the Michigan legislature,” said Ambassador Secchia. “West Michigan job providers need to unite behind Jay Riemersma so that the 2nd district has a Congressman who will not raise taxes when he gets to Washington DC.”

“We need a Congressman who will fight for sound economic decisions and the creation of more jobs in our state and country,” said Dick Haworth. “Jay Riemersma will not buckle under pressure to raise taxes to pay for more government expansions when our need is for less government that is more efficient.”

“Jay Riemersma has the leadership qualities we need in our next Congressman, and I believe he’ll make a positive impact for our values from his first day in office,” added Jim VanderKolk. “Jay has been a leader throughout his career at Zeeland High School, at the University of Michigan, in the NFL, at Family Research Council, and he will be a leader for West Michigan in Washington DC.”

Additional business leaders endorsing Riemersma include: John Canepa, Keith Brophy, Jack DeWitt, Luciano Hernandez, David Hooker, Joel Langlois, Arlyn Lanting, Dave Mehney, Dan Pfeiffer, and Mike Teeter.

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Below is the link to it.

http://jayriemersma.com/2009/10/07/business-leaders-endorse-jay-riemersma/   

From the release above – “Two of Riemersma’s opponents in the Republican Primary voted for the job-killing Michigan Business Tax (MBT).”

This could be interpreted as a swipe at the only two “opponents” who were in a position to vote on the bill in question; Bill Huizenga and Wayne Kuipers.

Former Rep. Huizenga quickly (October 9^th) put out the following email to let everyone know his take on the Riemersma email and exactly how he voted.

While Bill Huizenga voted for the original MBT, as he states; he did not vote for the later version that did pass both House and Senate without his vote, and which included the 22% surcharge on gross receipts.  As the email below claims the original MBT without the surcharge would have helped business, at least in relation to the Single Business Tax.

Below is Huizenga’s reply.

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Friday, October 9, 5:00 pm FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Steve Gunn, media consultant Huizenga for Congress Phone: (231) 903-5585 press@huizengaforcongress.com  Statement from Congressional candidate Bill Huizenga on opponent’s distortion of record     Jay Riemersma and his campaign staff could apparently use a history lesson regarding the Michigan Business Tax.     In a press release issued earlier this week, the Riemersma campaign incorrectly stated that I voted in favor of the MBT as it currently exists when I was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives.     The fact is that I voted against the final version of the MBT, which may indeed be, as Riemersma’s press release suggests, “the worst tax in the country.”     The Michigan Business Tax came to life as the result of two separate legislative actions in 2007.     It was adopted as a replacement for the much hated Single Business Tax, which had been sucking the life out of Michigan’s economy for years. Repeal of the SBT was supported by virtually every business interest in the state and I happily voted in favor of it.     The original MBT, which I voted for, was designed to ease the burden for Michigan companies in several ways.     It was at least partially based on the ability to pay, provided substantial personal property tax relief, included provisions to lower the tax burden for small businesses, and offered tax incentives for companies to invest in Michigan.     Unfortunately, we never had the opportunity to see how the original MBT would work. Months before it was scheduled to go into effect, it was amended to include a whopping 22 percent surcharge on income and gross receipts, a change I vigorously opposed.     I voted against the amended version with the surcharge, but it passed both chambers of the legislature, was signed by the governor and became a huge burden to the business community, particularly smaller companies.     Most Michigan business owners agree that the 22 percent surcharge is the part of the MBT that they cannot tolerate. As a Plymouth golf course owner said in a Detroit Free Press article earlier this year, “The 22 percent surcharge was a slap in the face.”     There is no reason for Republican voters to be concerned about my tax record. During my three terms in the state House I voted against hundreds of tax increase proposals. I was considered one of the legislature’s leading proponents of business interests, and was named “Legislator of the Year” by the Michigan Manufacturers Association in 2005 and the Michigan Aggregate Association in 2007.     As a business owner myself who has paid business taxes for years, I have always understood that the best way to expand Michigan’s economy and create more jobs is to develop a business-friendly tax environment.     But I believe there is a reason for concern about the Riemersma campaign’s continued statements regarding the MBT.     Perhaps his staff never bothered to look up the history of the separate legislative acts that led to the creation of the current MBT. Or perhaps they are purposefully deceiving the public, hoping to gain political advantage through distortion of my record.     I hope Mr. Riemersma will address this issue in full, and explain to the people of West Michigan why he has failed to offer a detailed, accurate analysis of the MBT, as well as an honest account of my voting record.  # # #

Bill Huizenga for Congress • P.O. Box 254 Zeeland, MI 49464 Paid for by Bill Huizenga for Congress Commitee • Dave Nienhuis CPA, Treasurer huizengaforcongress.com

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 With just under a year until the primary, we are already getting some heat to help us through this coming winter. 

On a positive note it is also warming to the heart of this conservative to hear two Republicans arguing over who is the most fiscally conservative.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative