Up North Progressive

Republicans want Michigan voters to believe that the state under four years of their stewardship has lead to great economic growth. Rick Snyder’s it’s not a campaign has used slogans like “comeback kid” and, “one successful nerd” and of course, “you may not be feeling it yet, but you will soon.”

One Northern Michigan business that will never feel it is Wright’s Bake Shop in Reed City. The 100 year old business is a landmark of the city’s downtown, serving pastries and fresh baked bread. The store is still co-owned by the Wright family, the third generation to run the shop. But after November 1, 2014, the bakery will close for good.

The reason for the co-owners making this heartbreaking decision is obvious: The terrible Michigan economy that has not recovered in any measurable way. High unemployment and poor economic conditions persist in Northern Michigan despite all of the Republicans’ claims that the state is making a dramatic comeback. Unemployment, stagnant wages and higher taxes stretched family budgets so thin that luxuries like local fresh-baked bread are no longer affordable. The owners of Wright’s also say the cost of keeping the bakery open has doubled, including buying the ingredients they need to keep their products stocked on the shelves. After months of losses, it was time to face the truth that they couldn’t stay open.

In Monday’s Cadillac News Republican State Senate candidate Darwin Booher said he was in favor of raising the state sales tax because it would, “raise revenue that is needed, and be a long-term solution.” The problem with raising the sales tax is that people who can’t afford to pay more taxes – the poor, retired people living on fixed incomes, and the middle class – feel the pain of another tax increase more than wealthy people. The Democratic State Senate candidate, Glenn Lottie, is quoted in the same edition of the Cadillac News, “I am against increasing taxes on our citizens.” He wants to pursue other viable options for raising revenue in the state to fix roads.

It’s difficult to drive around Reed City these days and not see Darwin Booher signs dotting front yards throughout the community. In light of higher taxes and a stagnant local economy forcing a business that has been open in Reed City through world wars, the depression, Reaganomics, NAFTA and the war on organized labor that Darwin Booher voted in favor of in 2012 in Lansing, do the citizens of Reed City have the ability to recognize that the people they vote for have a direct impact on what happens in their town? Booher already says if he’s re-elected he will vote to raise taxes on the people in his district. People unable to keep a 100 year old business open because they can’t afford it.

The people of the 35th State Senate district have the opportunity on November 4 to vote for change and stop supporting a special interest politician who can’t wait to get back to Lansing and make the citizens of his district even more impoverished. Vote Democratic Party and save what’s left of Reed City.