"Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall recently proposed legislation that would add a 6% tax on luxury services, including skiing, golf, country club memberships, marinas, private jets, and environmental consulting, to name a few. Hall estimated this services tax could generate $4.73 billion, making up for most of a $5 billion cut of property taxes he proposed in early February."
"To suggest that the same share of people who visit Michigan ski areas are the same share of people that also fly from country club to country club in their private jets is a little absurd. There is no question that recent ski industry trends, like skip-the-line access and exclusive clubs, are targeted at larger consumers of luxury goods, but the Midwest has a strong tradition of small, local ski hills targeted at serving their local communities."
"Michigan Republicans sought an amendment to the state constitution in 2024 that would have eliminated property taxes outright, but failed to collect enough signatures to get the issue on the ballot. Proponents could collect enough signatures to get the proposal on the November 2026 ballot, but Speaker Hall has been seeking a legislative path to eliminating property taxes."
Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall proposed legislation adding a 6% tax on luxury services, including skiing, golf, country club memberships, and private jets, to generate approximately $4.73 billion in revenue. This tax would offset a proposed $5 billion property tax cut. The proposal has drawn criticism for conflating local, community-focused ski hills with high-end luxury services. Michigan Republicans previously attempted a constitutional amendment to eliminate property taxes in 2024 but failed to gather sufficient signatures. The proposed services tax on skiing would be unique compared to other states, where lift ticket taxes have been considered or rejected in Colorado communities.
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