State House Republicans are planning to introduce a package of bills, titled the Yellow Ribbon package in an attempt to protect Michigan families of military personnel stationed overseas.
Included in the package are bills involving tax credits, tax exemptions and compensation for state employees for wages lost during service.
Matt Resch, spokesman for House Speaker Rick Johnson, R-LeRoy, said the package's impact on Michigan's budget will be examined throughout the processing of the bill when legislators weigh the priorities of the state.
"The feeling is that there are few priorities greater than helping our military families," he said.
But Rep. David Woodward, D-Royal Oak, said he has concerns about the package's financial implications.
"For those (bills) involving tax credits, we need to find a funding source," he said.
Woodward, who is the minority vice chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security Committee, said he looks forward to working with Rep. Mike Nofs, R-Battle Creek, to move the bills through the legislative process quickly, with bipartisan support despite the financial concerns. Nofs chairs the Homeland Security Committee.
Monetary issues and final decisions about the contents of the bills would be discussed in committee when the package is introduced after the House's recess, which ends April 29.
Rep. David Robertson, R-Grand Blanc, is sponsoring two bills in the package. One of his bills would allow cities to create an income tax exemption for military families' non-military pay.
A similar bill was introduced in the 1991-92 legislative session on the heels of the Gulf War, Robertson said.
He added he feels the war with Iraq will still be a concern by the time the bills are passed.
"Hostilities are going to continue," he said. "The deployment itself will continue for some time whether the war is over or not.We're still early enough."
Another bill in the package would protect military families from telephone service shutoffs. Rep. John Pappageorge, R-Troy, who spent 30 years on active duty for the Army, including two combat tours in Vietnam, is sponsoring the bill.
"I'm well aware of the kinds of problems the servicemen face," he said. "It'd be an absolute tragedy if they couldn't call home because their phone was disconnected."
Pappageorge said he'd be "stunned" if any phone companies objected the bill because the number of families and the cost involved is so small.
Other bills planned in the Yellow Ribbon package would protect military families from electric and gas service shutoffs and give troops an extension to file their state income taxes.
"The last thing they need to worry about is filing their taxes when they come home," said Rep. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba.
Staff writer Sarah Frank contributed to this report.
