HOUSE BILL No. 5108

 

August 24, 2005, Introduced by Rep. Sheen and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1975 PA 228, entitled

 

"Single business tax act,"

 

by amending sections 4a, 31, 36, and 45a (MCL 208.4a, 208.31,

 

208.36, and 208.45a), section 4a as added by 2003 PA 241, sections

 

31 and 45a as amended by 1999 PA 115, and section 36 as amended by

 

1995 PA 284, and by adding section 35d.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 4a. (1) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2006

 

and before January 1, 2008, compensation for purposes of section

 

4(3) does not include 50% of payments under health and welfare and

 

noninsured benefit plans for the benefit of persons who are

 

residents of this state and payments of fees for the administration

 


of health and welfare and noninsured benefit plans for the benefit

 

of persons who are residents of this state paid by the taxpayer in

 

the tax year.

 

     (2) For purposes of section 4(3), compensation does not

 

include the following percentages of payments under health and

 

welfare and noninsured benefit plans for the benefit of persons who

 

are residents of this state and payments of fees for the

 

administration of health and welfare and noninsured benefit plans

 

for the benefit of persons who are residents of this state paid by

 

the taxpayer for the specified tax years:

 

     (a) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2007 and

 

before January 1, 2009, 62.5%.

 

     (b) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2008 and

 

before January 1, 2010, 75%.

 

     (c) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2009 and

 

before January 1, 2011, 87.5%.

 

     (d) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2010, 100%.

 

     Sec. 31. (1) Except as provided in subsections (5) and (6),

 

there is levied and imposed a specific tax upon the adjusted tax

 

base of every person with business activity in this state that is

 

allocated or apportioned to this state at the following rates for

 

the specified periods:

 

     (a) Before October 1, 1994, 2.35%.

 

     (b) After September 30, 1994 and before January 1, 1999,

 

2.30%.

 

     (c) Beginning January 1, 1999 and each January 1 after 1999,

 

the rate under this subsection shall be reduced as provided in

 


subsection (5).

 

     (d) Beginning January 1, 2006, the rate under this subsection

 

shall be reduced as provided in subsection (6).

 

     (2) As used in this section, "adjusted tax base" means the tax

 

base allocated or apportioned to this state pursuant to chapter 3

 

with the adjustments prescribed by sections 23 and 23b and the

 

exemptions prescribed by section 35. If the adjusted tax base

 

exceeds 50% of the sum of gross receipts plus the adjustments

 

provided in section 23b(a) to (g), apportioned or allocated to

 

Michigan with the apportionment fraction calculated pursuant to

 

chapter 3, the adjusted tax base may, at the option of the

 

taxpayer, be reduced by that excess. If a taxpayer reduces the

 

adjusted tax base under this subsection, the taxpayer is not

 

entitled to the adjustment provided in subsection (4) for the same

 

taxable year. This subsection does not apply to an adjusted tax

 

base under section 22a.

 

     (3) The tax levied under this section and imposed is upon the

 

privilege of doing business and not upon income.

 

     (4) In lieu of the reduction provided in subsection (2), a

 

person may elect to reduce the adjusted tax base by the percentage

 

that the compensation divided by the tax base exceeds 63%. The

 

deduction shall not exceed 37% of the adjusted tax base. For

 

purposes of computing the deduction allowed by this subsection, as

 

effective for the respective tax year, compensation does not

 

include amounts of compensation exempt from tax under section

 

35(1)(e). This subsection does not apply to an adjusted tax base

 

under section 22a.

 


     (5) If the comprehensive annual financial report of this state

 

for a state fiscal year, published pursuant to section 494 of the

 

management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1494, reports an

 

ending balance of more than $250,000,000.00 in the countercyclical

 

budget and economic stabilization fund created under section 351 of

 

the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1351, for that

 

state fiscal year, the tax rate under this section shall be reduced

 

by 0.1 percentage point on the January 1 following the end of the

 

state fiscal year for which the report was issued.

 

     (6) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, beginning

 

in calendar year 2006 and each calendar year after 2006, if the

 

revenue estimating conference that meets in May, as provided in

 

section 367b of the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL

 

18.1367b, determines that the amount estimated by that revenue

 

estimating conference for revenues under this act for that state

 

fiscal year exceeds the revenues under this act for the state

 

fiscal year immediately preceding the state fiscal year in which

 

the revenue estimating conference meets by $80,000,000.00 or more,

 

the tax rate under this section shall be reduced by 0.05 percentage

 

point on the January 1 immediately preceding the May in which the

 

revenue estimating conference met. A reduction under this

 

subsection shall be made after the application of subsection (5)

 

for the same January 1. A maximum of 4 reductions under this

 

subsection are allowed.

 

     (7)  (6)  The department shall annualize the rate under this

 

section as necessary, and the applicable annualized rate shall be

 

imposed.

 


     Sec. 35d. (1) A person may claim a credit equal to the sum of

 

the following:

 

     (a) For tax years that begin on or after January 1, 2006, 25%

 

of the property taxes paid in the tax year by the person on

 

industrial personal property.

 

     (b) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2005 and

 

before January 1, 2007, 5% of the property taxes paid on commercial

 

personal property.

 

     (c) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2006, 10% of

 

the property taxes paid on commercial personal property.

 

     (2) A person that is not otherwise required to file a return

 

under this act may claim the credit under this section.

 

     (3) To qualify for the credits under this section for an item

 

of tangible personal property, a person that is otherwise eligible

 

to claim the credit allowed under this section shall file within

 

the time required the statement of personal property described in

 

section 19 of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL

 

211.19, separately for items of tangible personal property used

 

that are classified as industrial personal property and classified

 

as commercial personal property for the location at which the

 

tangible personal property that is the basis of the credit allowed

 

under this section is located.

 

     (4) If the total of the credits allowed under this section

 

exceeds the tax liability of the person for the tax year or if

 

person does not have a tax liability under this act for the tax

 

year, the excess or the amount of the credit shall be refunded or

 

paid to the person. The state treasurer shall establish a reserve

 


account in the department to fund and provide for payment of the

 

amount of refunds or payments for credits under this section that

 

are attributable to the fiscal years ending in the tax years for

 

which credits are claimed.

 

     (5) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Commercial personal property" means personal property

 

classified as commercial personal property under section 34c of the

 

general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.34c.

 

     (b) "Industrial personal property" means personal property

 

classified as industrial personal property under section 34c of the

 

general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.34c.

 

     (c) "Property taxes" means a tax levied under any of the

 

following acts:

 

     (i) The general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1 to

 

211.157.

 

     (ii) 1974 PA 198, MCL 207.551 to 207.572.

 

     (iii) The obsolete property rehabilitation act, 2000 PA 146, MCL

 

125.2781 to 125.2797.

 

     Sec. 36. (1) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Active shareholder" means a shareholder who receives at

 

least $10,000.00 in compensation, director's fees, or dividends

 

from the business, and who owns at least 5% of the outstanding

 

stock.

 

     (b) "Officer" means an officer of a corporation other than a

 

subchapter S corporation including the chairperson of the board,

 

president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer, or persons

 

performing similar duties.

 


     (c) "Adjusted business income" means business income as

 

defined in section 3 with all of the following adjustments:

 

     (i) Add compensation and director's fees of active shareholders

 

of a corporation.

 

     (ii) Make the adjustments provided in section 9(4)(a) and (b).

 

     (iii) Add compensation and director's fees of officers of a

 

corporation.

 

     (d) "Shareholder" means a person who owns outstanding stock in

 

the business. An individual is considered as the owner of the stock

 

owned, directly or indirectly, by or for family members as defined

 

by section 318(a)(1) of the internal revenue code.

 

     (e) "Loss adjustment" means the amount by which adjusted

 

business income was less than zero in any of the 5 tax years

 

immediately preceding the tax year for which eligibility for the

 

credit provided by this section is being determined. In determining

 

the loss adjustment for a tax year, a taxpayer is not required to

 

use more of the taxpayer's total negative adjusted business income

 

than the amount needed to qualify the taxpayer for the credit under

 

this section. A taxpayer shall not be considered to have used any

 

portion of the taxpayer's negative adjusted business income amount

 

unless the portion used is necessary to qualify for the credit

 

under this section. A taxpayer shall not reuse a negative adjusted

 

business income amount used as a loss adjustment in a previous tax

 

year or use a negative adjusted business income amount from a year

 

in which the taxpayer did not receive the credit under this

 

section.

 

     (f) "Subchapter S corporation" means a corporation electing

 


taxation under subchapter S of chapter 1 of subtitle A of the

 

internal revenue code, sections 1361 to 1379 of the internal

 

revenue code.

 

     (2) The credit provided in this section shall be taken before

 

any other credit under this act, and is available to any person

 

whose gross receipts do not exceed $6,000,000.00 for tax years

 

commencing on or after January 1, 1984 and before January 1, 1989;

 

$7,000,000.00 for tax years commencing in 1989; $7,250,000.00 for

 

tax years commencing in 1990; $7,500,000.00 for tax years

 

commencing in 1991; or $10,000,000.00 for tax years commencing

 

after 1991, and whose adjusted business income minus the loss

 

adjustment does not exceed $475,000.00 for tax years commencing on

 

or after January 1, 1985, subject to the following:

 

     (a) An individual, a partnership, or a subchapter S

 

corporation is disqualified if the individual, any 1 partner of the

 

partnership, or any 1 shareholder of the subchapter S corporation

 

receives more than $95,000.00 for tax years commencing on or after

 

January 1, 1985 and before January 1, 1998 or more than $115,000.00

 

for tax years commencing after December 31, 1997 as a distributive

 

share of the adjusted business income minus the loss adjustment of

 

the individual, the partnership, or the subchapter S corporation.

 

     (b) A corporation other than a subchapter S corporation is

 

disqualified if either of the following occur for the respective

 

tax year:

 

     (i) Compensation and director's fees of a shareholder or

 

officer exceed $95,000.00 for tax years commencing on or after

 

January 1, 1985 and before January 1, 1998 or exceed $115,000.00

 


for tax years commencing after December 31, 1997.

 

     (ii) The sum of the following amounts exceeds $95,000.00 for

 

tax years commencing on or after January 1, 1985 and before January

 

1, 1998 or exceeds $115,000.00 for tax years commencing after

 

December 31, 1997:

 

     (A) Compensation and director's fees of a shareholder.

 

     (B) The product of the percentage of outstanding stock owned

 

by that shareholder multiplied by the difference between the sum of

 

business income and the adjustments provided in section 9(4)(a) and

 

(b) minus the loss adjustment.

 

     (c) Subject to section 36d, for a taxpayer that is eligible

 

for the credit under this subsection for tax years beginning after

 

December 31, 1997, the credit determined under this subsection

 

shall be reduced by the following percentages in the following

 

circumstances:

 

     (i) If an individual, any 1 partner of the partnership, or any

 

1 shareholder of the subchapter S corporation receives as a

 

distributive share of adjusted gross income minus the loss

 

adjustment of the individual, partnership, or subchapter S

 

corporation; if compensation and directors' fees of a shareholder

 

or officer of a corporation other than a subchapter S corporation

 

are; or if the sum of the amounts in subdivision (b)(ii)(A) and (B)

 

is more than $95,000.00 but less than $100,000.00, the credit is

 

reduced by 20%.

 

     (ii) If an individual, any 1 partner of the partnership, or any

 

1 shareholder of the subchapter S corporation receives as a

 

distributive share of adjusted gross income minus the loss

 


adjustment of the individual, partnership, or subchapter S

 

corporation; if compensation and directors' fees of a shareholder

 

or officer of a corporation other than a subchapter S corporation

 

are; or if the sum of the amounts in subdivision (b)(ii)(A) and (B)

 

is $100,000.00 or more but less than $105,000.00, the credit is

 

reduced by 40%.

 

     (iii) If an individual, any 1 partner of the partnership, or any

 

1 shareholder of the subchapter S corporation receives as a

 

distributive share of adjusted gross income minus the loss

 

adjustment of the individual, partnership, or subchapter S

 

corporation; if compensation and directors' fees of a shareholder

 

or officer of a corporation other than a subchapter S corporation

 

are; or if the sum of the amounts in subdivision (b)(ii)(A) and (B)

 

is $105,000.00 or more but less than $110,000.00, the credit is

 

reduced by 60%.

 

     (iv) If an individual, any 1 partner of the partnership, or any

 

1 shareholder of the subchapter S corporation receives as a

 

distributive share of adjusted gross income minus the loss

 

adjustment of the individual, partnership, or subchapter S

 

corporation; if compensation and directors' fees of a shareholder

 

or officer of a corporation other than a subchapter S corporation

 

are; or if the sum of the amounts in subdivision (b)(ii)(A) and (B)

 

is $110,000.00 or more but less than $115,000.00, the credit is

 

reduced by 80%.

 

     (3) For the purposes of determining disqualification under

 

subsection (2), an active shareholder's share of business income

 

shall not be attributed to another active shareholder.

 


     (4) A person who qualifies pursuant to subsection (2) is

 

allowed a credit against the tax imposed by section 31. For tax

 

years commencing before January 1, 1989, the credit is a percentage

 

reduction in tax liability.  For tax years commencing on and after

 

January 1, 1989 and through tax years commencing in 1991, the

 

credit is the greater of the amount by which the tax imposed by

 

section 31 exceeds 4% of adjusted business income or 3% of adjusted

 

business income for tax years commencing after 1991 or a percentage

 

reduction in tax liability. However, beginning October 1, 1994, the

 

percentage of adjusted business income shall be 2%.  The department

 

shall annualize the rates provided under this subsection as

 

necessary for tax years that end after September 30, 1994 and the

 

applicable annualized rate shall be imposed for those tax years.

 

The credit under this subsection is the greater of the amount by

 

which the tax imposed by section 31 exceeds the following

 

percentage of adjusted business income for the specified tax years

 

or a percentage reduction in tax liability:

 

     (a) For tax years commencing on and after January 1, 1989 and

 

through tax years commencing in 1991, 4%.

 

     (b) For tax years commencing after 1991 and before October 1,

 

1994, 3%.

 

     (c) Beginning October 1, 1994 and before January 1, 2006, 2%.

 

     (d) Beginning January 1, 2006 and before January 1, 2007,

 

1.8%.

 

     (e) Beginning January 1, 2007 and before January 1, 2008,

 

1.6%.

 

     (f) Beginning January 1, 2008 and before January 1, 2009,

 


1.4%.

 

     (g) Beginning January 1, 2009 and before January 1, 2010,

 

1.2%.

 

     (h) Beginning January 1, 2010, 1.0%.

 

     (5) The percentage reduction provided in subsection (4) is

 

calculated by subtracting from 100% the percentage computed by

 

dividing adjusted business income by 45% of tax base.

 

     (6) If gross receipts exceed $5,000,000.00 for tax years

 

commencing on or after January 1, 1984 and before January 1, 1989;

 

$6,000,000.00 for tax years commencing in 1989; $6,250,000.00 for

 

tax years commencing in 1990; $6,500,000.00 for tax years

 

commencing in 1991; or $9,000,000.00 for tax years commencing after

 

1991, the credit shall be reduced by a fraction, the numerator of

 

which is the amount of gross receipts over $5,000,000.00 for tax

 

years commencing on or after January 1, 1984 and before January 1,

 

1989; $6,000,000.00 for tax years commencing in 1989; $6,250,000.00

 

for tax years commencing in 1990; $6,500,000.00 for tax years

 

commencing in 1991; or $9,000,000.00 for tax years commencing after

 

1991, and the denominator of which is $1,000,000.00. The credit

 

shall not exceed 50% for tax years commencing before January 1,

 

1984; 90% for tax years commencing on or after January 1, 1984 and

 

before January 1, 1988; or 100% for tax years commencing on and

 

after January 1, 1988 of the tax liability imposed by section 31.

 

     (7) An affiliated group as defined in this act, a controlled

 

group of corporations as defined in section 1563 of the internal

 

revenue code and further described in 26 C.F.R. 1.414(b)-1 and

 

1.414(c)-1 to 1.414(c)-5, or an entity under common control as

 


defined by the internal revenue code shall not take the credit

 

allowed by this section unless the business activities of the

 

entities are consolidated.

 

     (8) The department shall permit a taxpayer who elects to claim

 

the credit allowed by this section based on the amount by which the

 

tax imposed by section 31 exceeds the percentage of adjusted

 

business income for the tax year as determined under subsection

 

(4), and who is not required to reduce the credit pursuant to

 

subsection (2) or (6), to file and pay the tax imposed by this act

 

without computing the tax imposed under section 31.

 

     Sec. 45a. (1) Except as provided in subsection  (2)  (3) and

 

for tax years beginning after December 31, 1998 and before January

 

1, 2006, all of the tax base, other than the tax base derived

 

principally from transportation, financial, or insurance carrier

 

services or specifically allocated, shall be apportioned to this

 

state by multiplying the tax base by a percentage, which is the sum

 

of all of the following percentages:

 

     (a) The property factor multiplied by 5%.

 

     (b) The payroll factor multiplied by 5%.

 

     (c) The sales factor multiplied by 90%.

 

     (2) For tax years beginning after December 31, 2005, all of

 

the tax base, other than the tax base derived principally from

 

transportation, financial, or insurance carrier services or

 

specifically allocated, shall be apportioned to this state by

 

multiplying the tax base by the sales factor.

 

     (3)  (2)  For tax years beginning after December 31, 1998 and

 

before January 1, 2000 if section 23(e) is not in effect, all of

 


the tax base, other than the tax base derived principally from

 

transportation, financial, or insurance carrier services or

 

specifically allocated, shall be apportioned to this state by

 

multiplying the tax base by a percentage, which is the sum of all

 

of the following percentages:

 

     (a) The property factor multiplied by 15%.

 

     (b) The payroll factor multiplied by 15%.

 

     (c) The sales factor multiplied by 70%.

 

     (4)  (3)  For purposes of this section, a taxpayer that has a

 

52- or 53-week tax year beginning not more than 7 days before

 

December 31 of any year is considered to have a tax year beginning

 

after December 31 of that year.