Federal Race to the Top school funds again skip Michigan

Legislative candidates have raised $17.4M for primaries

House up 13% from 2006, Senate up 2%

revised 7/27/2010

The field of 663 primary election candidates for the Michigan Legislature report having raised $17.4 million through July 18th, according to reports on file with the Bureau of Elections, as of 11:00 a.m. on July 26th.

House of Representatives
Reported fundraising by House candidates is down by 2.4 percent compared to 2008: $8,227,034 to $8,426,216. However, House fundraising is up by 13.1 percent compared to 2006, when primary candidates for the House raised $7.3 million. That is the last time House candidates shared the ballot and the fundraising pool with candidates for the Senate and the constitutional executive offices, as they are this year.

Crain's asked each of the seven candidates for governor the same list of questions. Their responses are below.

There were additional questions and answers that could not fit in our print article. Click here for our WEB EXTRA.

What is the top change you would make to the Michigan Business Tax? How would you pay for it?

Virg Bernero
Will work to eliminate the MBT surcharge as part of a comprehensive overhaul of state business taxes to a structure that rewards job creation and value-added, export-oriented production.

Andy Dillon
Reform the MBT by basing tax on companies' net worth and net income, not modified gross receipts and net income; repeal MBT surcharge. End tax loopholes for oil and gas companies and increase efficiencies in state government.

Mike Bouchard
Eliminate the MBT because it is suffocating Michigan businesses.

Mike Cox
Would cut MBT 50 percent with eventual phase-out and repeal 2007 personal income tax increase, paid for with $4 billion in cuts that include reforming state worker health care to save more than $269 million, changing teacher health care for nearly $500 millio