ICYMI: The Detroit News Slams Benson for Her Income Tax Gaffe

Lansing, MI – Last week, Kaitlyn Buss of The Detroit News penned an editorial on Michigan Secretary of State and Democrat nominee for governor Jocelyn Benson’s embarrassing interview clip where she admitted she did not know the state’s income tax rate. Buss comes out swinging, starting the piece with:

Jocelyn Benson can't be trusted to run Michigan's government and the state's $80-billion-plus budget if she doesn't even know its income tax rate.

Buss went on to remind readers that Democrats fought to raise Michigan’s income tax:

“In 2023, Michigan’s income tax rate temporarily fell from 4.25% to 4.05% under a trigger enacted during the Snyder administration. Democrats fought to make that reduction temporary, a position ultimately upheld by the courts. The rate returned to 4.25% and remains there today.”

She finished the piece by pointing out that knowing the income tax rate should be the bare minimum voters ask of statewide candidates:

“Benson is asking voters to trust her with decisions that will affect how much they pay and how Michigan spends billions of dollars. Knowing the state's income tax rate should be the starting point.”

If you missed the viral clip of Benson proposing to make Michigan’s tax rate more “equitable” – how progressives say they want to raise taxes – while not even knowing the current tax rate, you can find it here:

“We don’t think it’s too much to ask that statewide elected officials know the income tax before they suggest raising it,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “Jocelyn Benson has once again shown us how out of touch she is with the needs of Michiganders during the affordability crisis her party created.”