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Gov. Snyder proposes 50 percent increase to liquor tax

That spicy Bloody Mary getting mixed at the bar may soon cost more.

Gov. Rick Snyder is proposing a 50 percent increase on the Michigan state tax for liquor.

“Well I think it’s ridiculous,” said Mitch Witkowski of Berkley. “I just don’t see it ever going down again. For what reason? Fifty percent seems pretty extreme to me.”

If you buy it by the glass in your favorite pub you’re already paying 12 percent in state tax meaning your drink will increase by a 6 percent increase.

If you buy liquor by the bottle, the state tax now is 13.85 percent tax – which would be raised by 6 to 8 percent.

That kicks the 5th of Honey Jack Daniels from $25 to $26. Snyder has said the state has not raised the liquor tax since 1970.

One of his fellow Republicans, Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R-Troy) says raising liquor tax 50 percent is not a good idea.

“A lot of restaurants, a lot of bars are all effected by this,” he said. “It seems pretty drastic.”

Wally Jamil has operated the Mug & Jug liquor store at 12 Mile and Greenfield in Berkley since 1982. If the state raises the liquor tax will his customers buy fewer bottles of liquor?

“To be honest with you, I don’t think so,” he said. “People are going to pay it anyway.”

Just east on 12 Mile from Mug & Jug, Bob Bronstein has operated 24 Seconds Bar and Grill for 10 years.

Bronstein is branching out. He and his wife recently bought the building across the street formerly Hiller’s Market where they will open Patrick J’s Irish Pub named after their son, in the former grocery store building.

Patrick J’s will be open by this summer. How would a higher state liquor tax impact both bars?

“I think it’s pretty excessive,” Bronstein said. “The bottom line is every time something like that increases, it goes to the consumer. So it is going to raise our drink prices, that’s what’s going to happen.”

And still some at the bar say if the tax went to roads, it would be easier to swallow.

“Sales tax, liquor tax, whatever you need, toll roads,” one bar patron said. “Just fix the roads please.”

Fatal shooting reported on Detroit’s east side

A fatal shooting has been reported in the parking lot of a grocery store on the city’s east side.

One person was killed in the shooting, which happened in the parking lot of Farmer John’s at Gratiot and Harper.

Accused bank robber ‘couldn’t take the heat’ she tells police

She couldn’t take the heat – that’s what 22-year-old wanted fugitive Scantavia Ronda Isaac allegedly told Detroit detectives Thursday morning.

The bank robbery suspect turned herself into police headquarters, before being turned over to the FBI.

“She did notice the heat was on,” said Lt. Michael Shaw, Michigan State Police. “Scantavia became very aware that the state police was looking for her and she knew she was running out of options.”

Police say Isaac was wanted for her involvement in at least eight credit union robberies in a three-month period in Lansing, Livonia, and Ann Arbor late last year.

Crime Stoppers of Michigan was offering a $1,000 reward Wednesday for Isaac. Her photos were seen on FOX 2.

Isaac is now in custody awaiting federal charges.

Her six-person crew police say was responsible for the robbery in Marysville which police catching the people believed to be in her crew in December.

“One of our hometown security teams was able to get them on the way to robbing another bank,” Shaw said. “She just happened to no go along with them on that particular excursion.”

Police say Isaac’s brother was the ringleader, 18-year-old Angelo Mitchell of the group, which wore wigs and makeup and passed notes to tellers demanding money and threatening to kill them if they didn’t comply.

FOX 2 stopped into what Scantavia Isaac lists as her former employer on her online resume, American Tax Services in Detroit.

One employee’s response to hearing Isaac’s name was “What did she do now?” before saying that she doesn’t know ” A Scantavia Isaac.”

Isaac’s resume shows she’s done everything from preparing taxes to styling hair and working at Eastpointe’s Nails Palace.

“I’m just shocked,” said Tara Berry, a former co-worker at Nails Palace. “She was a very sweet person, very dependable, reliable. Great personality. I could not believe it.”

Man charged after car theft in Harrison Twp., fleeing police

Two brothers have been charged after a vehicle was stolen from a Harrison Township apartment complex.

On Sunday, police allege Jerome Havard, seen photographed, stole a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer from the parking lot of the San Remo Apartments on Union Lake Road between 16 Mile and Shook roads.

Police say when they attempted to stop the vehicle, Harvard would not pull over.

While driving westbound on I-94, police say Havard lost control of the car, hit a snowbank and overturned. Harvard was ejected from the vehicle.

He was taken by ambulance to the hospital and received treatment for a few days before being transferred to the Macomb County Jail.

The Macomb County Sheriff’s Department says the injuries seen in Havard’s booking photo are road rash that he sustained when he was ejected from the vehicle.

Havard has been charged with one count of Motor Vehicle Unlawful Driving Away; Conspiracy to Commit Motor Vehicle Unlawful Driving Away; fleeing a police officer; and driving with a suspended license.

His brother, Jermaine Harvard, is facing similar charges.

Body cams on Detroit cops: A great idea but who pays for it?

Some Detroit lawmakers are pushing an effort to place body cameras on police officers but while the idea may be good, the money may not be there.

In the wake of the events last summer in Ferguson, body cameras on cops isn’t anything new.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan wants to put body cameras on city officers and Gov. Rick Snyder is willing to do a pilot program. They’ve got support from some Detroit area lawmakers who are eager to get this done.

One of those is Sen. Bert Johnson. The Highland Park Democrat said cameras are a great idea.

“There’s evidence suggesting that body cameras would lessen the incidents of police brutality and really exonerate a lot of police officers,” Johnson said.

National events in Ferguson, Missouri and elsewhere have accelerated the debate over body cameras on cops. Rep. Fred Durhall III, is believes a lot of neighborhoods in Detroit want them.

“A lot of problems we’ve had, particularly in the last couple years, dealing with a lot of deaths and shootings from police officers were questionable. I think it’s really good for the community, I think it provides safety for the officers as well,” Durhall said.

Who pays for it? The concept may be a good idea but some are advising the mayor to get the money from the White House.

Sen. Rick Jones says Michigan doesn’t have the funds. He’s not alone. The GOP chair of the house budget committee reports the money is not there.

Durhall isn’t giving up. He thinks we can shift some money around in the budget to make it happen while a budget chair is telling local governments like Detroit not to get their hopes up.

Written by LBeasley (Lauren Beasley), Digital Producer of The Morning Heat and Sports Editor of Radio One Detroit

Keep up with the Morning Heat on Instagram and Twitter at @hiphopdetroit

Gov. Rick Snyder Proposes 50 Percent Increase To Liquor Tax  was originally published on hothiphopdetroit.com