Surrounded by the five Great Lakes, water is one of Michigan's most precious natural resources. Water bottlers can and do set up shop in the state and take H20 as they please. Lt. Governor John Cherry realizes something doesn't add up here. He believes Michigan can protect its natural resource and help fund the state's education system at the same time by taxing the water bottlers.
He proposed that businesses that profit from the state's water should pay 10 cents per bottle sold. Cherry says the pot of about $118 million could cover the state's $100 million Promise Scholarship, a $4,000 universal college scholarship, which 96,000 students were counting on this year before it was recently dismantled. The rest of the funds could be used for wetlands protection.
"We are losing one resource -- our talented workforce and the energy of our young people, and we are giving away another resource -- our water -- for free," he said. "You don't need a PhD in mathematics to know this is a terrible equation," said Cherry.
Some critics in Michigan feel it's a bad idea to tax the water bottlers because it could drive the businesses out of the state. And while that might sound like a good idea to tap water fans, many feel that Michigan can't afford to lose any jobs right now, even those at water bottling plants.
Photo by Mad African! on flickr under a Creative Commons license.
He proposed that businesses that profit from the state's water should pay 10 cents per bottle sold. Cherry says the pot of about $118 million could cover the state's $100 million Promise Scholarship, a $4,000 universal college scholarship, which 96,000 students were counting on this year before it was recently dismantled. The rest of the funds could be used for wetlands protection.
"We are losing one resource -- our talented workforce and the energy of our young people, and we are giving away another resource -- our water -- for free," he said. "You don't need a PhD in mathematics to know this is a terrible equation," said Cherry.
Some critics in Michigan feel it's a bad idea to tax the water bottlers because it could drive the businesses out of the state. And while that might sound like a good idea to tap water fans, many feel that Michigan can't afford to lose any jobs right now, even those at water bottling plants.
Photo by Mad African! on flickr under a Creative Commons license.
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