Negaunee resident and Michigan Education Association UniServ Director for the area, Stuart Skauge, asks State Senator Tom Casperson questions during an April 18 town hall meeting in Marquette. Click on photos for larger versions. (Photo © 2011 and courtesy Teresa Bertossi of Headwaters News)By Teresa Bertossi and Gabriel Caplett
Posted April 19, 2011, on Headwaters News
MARQUETTE -- Facing a crowd openly hostile to his support of proposed budget cuts and other measures that crack down on Michigan workers, seniors, and students, Michigan Senator Tom Casperson expressed his support for big business at a town hall meeting in Marquette Monday evening, April 18, 2011.
At the April 18 town hall in Marquette, State Senator Tom Casperson faces challenges to state's budget cuts. (Photo © 2011 and courtesy Teresa Bertossi of Headwaters News)Casperson insisted that forcing corporations to pay more in taxes will hurt efforts to rebuild the state’s economy.
Negaunee resident and Michigan Education Association UniServ Director for the area, Stuart Skauge, along with most of the packed audience, wasn’t buying it.
"I’ve got a question on that, why is it with the flat tax then -- the 6 percent -- that 95,000 businesses in this state won’t pay any state taxes for business -- 95,000?" asked Skauge. "And then they’re going to take it away from the schools. Are you people idiots down there?"
Meghan McLeod, a teacher from Gwinn Middle School, says she makes $30,000 dollars a year and can’t afford more teacher cuts.
Meghan McLeod, Gwinn Middle School teacher, speaks to Casperson at the Marquette town hall meeting. (Photo © 2011 and courtesy Teresa Bertossi of Headwaters News)"I don’t want to have to, on my 25th birthday, move home with my parents," said McLeod. "I just want to make it clear, I want a level playing field. And you said you took a 10 percent pay reduction, and you were okay with that because you can afford it. I can’t afford it."
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