County Board Discussed Severance Tax

The key phrases: “being held harmless” and “made whole” came up again Tuesday ngiht at the Marquette County Board of Commissioners meeting, as board members received an update from Chairperson Deborah Pellow regarding the proposed Severance Tax.

Governor Rick Snyder’s administration is proposing a 3% Severance Tax for nonferrous mining operations to replace other existing taxes. The tax would be levied on the value of minerals removed from the ground. Revenue would be split by local governments and a new fund to support rural economic development projects. This tax targets precious metal operations such as the Kennecott Eagle Mine. Chairperson Pellow will receive a graph proposal of the tax from the governor’s staff during a meeting with them next week.

Tuesday night the board approved a motion to request a formal letter requesting the attendance of all parties involved and effected by the proposed tax to attend the meeting next week.