Protesters March Against Tax Reform Bill

As the debate continues over tax reform, about 30 concerned citizens gathered over the weekend in downtown Houghton to protest recently passed legislation.

Protesters picketed along Shelden Avenue after marching across the Portage Lake Lift Bridge to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with Congressman Jack Bergman’s decision to vote in support of the tax reform bill, recently passed by the House of Representatives.

Protestor William Keith said, “I’m a voter here and I’m going to be affected by this tax bill just like everybody else in the U.P. and I’m here to send a message to Representative Bergman. He made a really bad choice in supporting it. It was just a terrible idea for him to vote for it and we’re out here saying he has one last chance to correct his mistake when it comes out of conference.”

Protestors believe that the bill is unfair and will cost graduate students a tax increase, and say it will now count tuition waivers as taxable income.

Candidate for State Representative Ken Summers also joined the protest.

“I’ve studied economics and finance my entire life… and this myth of trickle down economics is just that, it’s a myth. They’ve been lying to you for thirty years,” said Summers.

Both the house and senate have recently passed separate versions of the tax reform bill and are currently working together to consolidate both plans into final legislation.

From there, the bill is expected to be passed by the President.