Democrat Told Occupiers 'Too Much Corporate Politics’; Votes for More in 2017

In 2011, current state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. said this to a public radio reporter at an Occupy Wall Street event in Lansing:

“I think in general the message that Occupy Lansing has is very good. We do have to realize that our politics has way too much corporate interest in it.”

ForTheRecord Says: That was then, this is now.

Here’s how MichiganVotes.org summarized Senate Bill 111, with the tagline, “Transfer state revenue to big developers.”

“Passed 27 to 6 in the Senate on Feb. 22, 2017, to authorize giving ongoing cash subsidies to particular developers and business owners selected by state and local political appointees. Developers would get cash subsidies for up to 20 years equal to the income tax paid by their employees. Fiscal agency projections suggest the process could transfer up to $1.8 billion state tax dollars to these beneficiaries.”

Hertel voted in favor of the bill. He also voted for Senate Bill 442, which MichiganVotes.org summarized as “Transfer state revenue to certain big business owners.”

“Passed 32 to 5 in the Senate on March 29, 2017, to authorize giving up to $250 million of state revenue to certain large developers and big business owners selected by political appointees on the board of a state Strategic Fund agency. Owners of selected firms would get cash subsidies for up to 10 years equal to half or all of the income tax paid by their employees.”

Six other Democrats voted “yes” on Senate Bill 111, and nine joined Hertel in support of Senate Bill 242. No Democrats opposed either bill, but several did not vote on the former.

Five Republicans opposed Senate Bill 111 and six opposed Senate Bill 242.