Taxing Michigan Inmates

A proposal by Michigan governor, Jennifer Granholm, to ease the Michigan economic “crisis,” involves taxing inmates, among other initiatives, according to the Grand Rapids channel 13 website. The state does not tax inmates for the items they buy in the prison store which range from food and snacks to televisions and typewriters. Yes, typewriters are still being sold, in prison anyways. But the inmates may not get away with purchasing those Ramon Noodles or typewriters without a sales tax any longer if the new tax initiative passes through the Michigan legislature.

Desperate times must call for desperate measures, I guess, in Michigan if the government must resort to taxing the poorest of the poor by taxing inmates. These people do not have freedom, let alone a significant enough income for the state to tax. Is this really the proper step to improve the state’s financial situation? How much can Governor Granholm really expect to make by doing this?

I would imagine this proposal would have very little effect within the prison walls, but is it necessary? Michigan will not receive that much by taxing prison stores, but the inmate might have to pay a few more cents for the supplies that they wish to purchase. There are more important problems with the prison system that needs attention, so this proposal will not upset too many people, but the pettiness involved with the idea seems disheartening.

The legislation will not help the state all that much, but only shine light on how sad of a situation Michigan’s economy must really be, if it needs to crunch pennies from inmates.