June 28, 2021
ICYMI: Whitmer Vetoes Bipartisan Relief Bills for Small Businesses
Lansing, Mich., June 28, 2021 – In case you missed it, in a late Friday news dump Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that she vetoed two bipartisan COVID relief bills for small businesses, which would have refunded sales and use taxes paid on certain PPE material during COVID. According to the Detroit News:
“Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed bills Friday that would have allowed businesses to seek refunds for taxes paid on the purchases of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic… The bills had widespread support in the Legislature, passing the Senate in 36-0 votes on June 2. They passed the House in 102-7 votes on June 8.”
Whitmer’s veto comes as she faces criticism for her continued support for expanded unemployment benefits, which has caused a massive labor shortage in the state and prevented small businesses from beginning to recover from her year-long COVID restrictions.
“This is just another example of Governor Whitmer’s failed governing style – say one thing and do another. She claims she wants to help small businesses recover from COVID, then she vetoes bipartisan legislation that would do just that,” said Eric Ventimiglia, executive director for Michigan Rising Action. Ventimiglia continued, “Whitmer’s veto of an overwhelmingly bipartisan set of COVID relief bills shows that she is intent on dragging out the suffering she has inflicted on small businesses and workers over the last year.”