Gov. Rick Snyder's administration and economic development officials are readying a new push to offer tax breaks to attract large-scale business expansions, contending that Michigan has missed out on jobs being aggressively sought by other states.
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan senators hope to propose new tax break legislation in the coming week. At the same time, business executives and other backers of the bills will amplify public efforts to persuade skeptics in the wake of a shift away from such targeted tax incentives.
The measures, which easily won approval in the Republican-led Senate late last year only to die in the GOP-controlled House, would authorize Michigan to let qualified companies keep part of their employees' income tax withholdings if they add a minimum number of jobs. The businesses would have to create at least 500 jobs or, if they pay at least 125 percent of the average local wage, at least 250 jobs.
Details were still being hashed out and were not final on Friday. Under the previous bills, retail stores, pro sports stadiums and casinos would not have qualified and annual foregone revenue would have been capped at $250 million.