FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Members of the media are invited to attend a Press Conference to present the Abbasse ESTREP (SBT replacement) plan in response to the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce plan as reported in last Saturday’s (9/30) Grand Rapids Press.  The Press conference will be held at Ultimate Tooling, Inc., a third generation family business which endorses the Abbasse ESTREP plan.  Senator Stabenow has been invited to come and speak about unfair trade practices which are hurting local manufacturers. 

Here are the details:

The Committee to Elect Albert S. Abbasse wishes to respond to The GR PRESS article published on Saturday 9/30 CHAMBER PROPOSES TAX PLAN.  Albert Abbasse, an economist and candidate for the Michigan Senate in the 28^th district would like to thank the Grand Rapids Area Chamber for endorsing portions of his tax plan.  Albert Abbasse has spent the past four years developing the Abbasse Economic Stimulus, Tax Relief, and Education Program (ESTREP) with economists and business owners throughout the state of Michigan.  The Abbasse ESTREP plan has been available for public review on www.abbasse.org in its entirety since April of 2006, basic information has available on the campaign website since January 2006.  This program has been presented to various organizations over the past two years.  In fact, Abbasse’s ESTREP plan was presented to the Grand Rapids Press as recent as last Thursday, 9/28/06.  The Abbasse ESTREP program was presented to the Michigan Chamber of Commerce on 8/15/06, and to the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce on June 8/13/06.  Despite receiving several Press Releases from the Abbasse campaign regarding the ESTREP plan, the Grand Rapids Press has never covered the Abbasse ESTREP program in the past and has now decided credit the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce with its creation.  The Chamber’s version of the ESTREP plan changes the flat tax rate from ESTREP’s original 1% to .75%, which seeks to replace 75% - 90% of the revenue generated by the current SBT.  The Chamber of Commerce plan announces cuts in Medicaid and Education to accommodate the short-comings of their tax plan.  The Chamber tax plan allows for special-interest exemptions, while the Abbasse ESTREP plan seeks to replace the SBT with a fair and equitable tax for ALL Michigan businesses.  The Abbasse plan will not only replace 100% of the current revenue, but will generate an additional $1.6 billion for improving our infrastructure and creating jobs while saving every business in Michigan in their tax bill, allowing for an increase in employement and research and development.  

 

 

Re:      NOTIFICATION OF PRESS CONFERENCE

Abbasse Economic Stimulus, Tax Relief, and Education Program presentation and discussion with area business owners regarding the Abbasse ESTREP plan vs. the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Plan.

 

Location:        Ultimate Tool and Die

2943 S. Wilson, Walker, MI            (MAP)

Time:              1:00pm

Date:               Friday, October 6, 2006