Budget plan could burden senior citizens
TRAVERSE CITY -- Right now, Michigan has generous tax cuts for senior citizens. It's one of only three states in the nation that don't tax pensions.
That could be changing.
Part of Governor Rick Snyder budget proposal is to start taxing pensions. Traverse City Senior Center employees say it will have a major impact on the elderly.
Kathleen Gest says, "It will probably have a big effect because they live on a fixed income, and some of are just scraping by."
Leta King says, "it just means we're going to struggle more to get our bills paid. I don't know why they're picking on us."
Governor Snyder says he's not picking on seniors. Because of the state's declining population and growing senior demographic, he says it is time for them to pitch in like everybody else.
Governor Snyder says, "We're talking about our seniors and we do need to be understanding. One thing is we would not tax is Social Security. We will go beyond Federal Law and exclude Social Security from State Income Tax."
