By Laura Weber
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-867889.mp3
Lansing, MI – The state Senate has voted against a House plan to tax physicians for their services. The proposal was intended to fill the deep cuts made to Medicaid last month.
Democratic lawmakers say Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop killed the bill to take a revenue option away from Governor Granholm, but Bishop says the Senate was never going to approve the tax hike, "She's trying to pressure us into taking tax votes that we're not comfortable taking, and our members don't agree with taking those votes. And we did this today because we felt we needed to let the governor know and let others know that this is not an option that we want to use as a long-term solution for the state of Michigan."
Democrats from both the House and Senate say Bishop cut the discussion short on the revenue proposal and it could have been made stronger and better with a little more time.