Making the 2002 Tax Cuts Permanent - A Letter to My Senators

To the Honorable Senator Debbie Stabenow & Carl Levin:

I would like to know when would you be pushing the legislation to make the 2002 tax cuts permanent? Failure to make the tax cuts permanent will be a significant tax increase on my family and other families in our great nation.

One of the biggest tax cuts was the child tax credit. I am sure you are in favor of doing things for the children of this great nation. The next measure that directly impacted families was the raising of the minimal taxable income.

As I remember there were also provisions in those tax cuts that revised the depreciation schedules advantageous to businesses. By making these depreciation schedules permanent this is advantageous to re-investing in your business. Additional measures included the lowering the capital gains taxes. Right now Michigan manufacturing needs this help. Michigan manufacturing has taken such a beating in plant closures; jobs moving down south and internationally. This is very depressing. In quoting for jobs as an engineer, the deprecation costs sometimes is the make it or break it factor in keeping these jobs in Michigan and the United States. Without the revised deprecation schedules made permanent, you cannot depend on using the current deprecation schedules; we must use the old schedules.

I’m sure you understand that Michigan has some of the highest unemployment in the nation. Tax cuts and making the tax cuts permanent is one of the biggest things that the federal government can do to stimulate the economy. I grew up in Michigan. I returned to Michigan after honorable service in the United States Navy and I would like to raise my family in Michigan. The Great Sate of Michigan needs your help right now!

Sincerely,

Pieter J. Vande Vusse