Retirees fled state to avoid taxing of pension

State Sen. Dale Zorn wants to continue his carpetbagger political career by moving to Lenawee County. Zorn's accomplishments were highlighted in 2011 when he voted to tax my fixed income pension costing me $120 per month. The same day he gave his party's donors a $1.8 billion business tax-cut. He also voted to raise assorted user fees like fishing and hunting licenses.

The tax on pensions moved many retirees to flee the state for no-tax states like Florida. I attended one of Dale Zorn's town halls shortly after his 2011 vote. I told him the huge cost to my pension that I didn't expect after I retired. He told me they, the Republican Party, will revisit this at a later date. IT NEVER HAPPENED! Since 2011, the Republican Party controlled both houses and could easily have voted to repeal this tax they passed in 2011. It incredulous how they have spun this issue.

Now Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is pushing to repeal this tax this year in her State of the State speech. She knows with inflation pressures how seniors are being affected. She knows this will free up disposable income to be spent in local communities across the state. She knows its good for small business.

Many of us grow tired of these career politicians. Here in this area we have Congressman Tim Walberg, who served 16 years in Michigan state politics. For those 16 years he receives a growing pension that pays him $80,453 in 2020 with a cost of living allowance (COLA). In 2011, that pension paid $54,000. He has served as our congressman for 12 years paying him $174,000 a year.

Early in his career, he promised us he wasn't a career politician. We don't hear that anymore. My fixed pension tax is paying his growing $80,453 pension with COLA after only 16 years of work! What have these politicians done for me that stands out? Well, our congressman spends his time on right-wing media stirring division and insurrection. I don't see any benefit for what he cost me.

Paul Wohlfarth lives in Riga Township and is retired from Chrysler Motors. He can be reached at wolfmanwon@aol.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Paul Wohlfarth: Retirees fled state to avoid taxing of pension