REPEAL OF MICHIGAN TUITION TAX CREDIT - S.B. 371 (S-5): SUMMARY



Senate Bill 371 (Substitute S-5 as passed by the Senate)

Sponsor: Senator John J. H. Schwarz, M.D.

Committee: Appropriations


Date Completed: 9-20-01


CONTENT


The bill would amend the Michigan Income Tax Act to eliminate the State tuition tax credit as of January 1, 2001. The credit was first available for tax year 1995 for tuition payments made for the academic year 1995-96. The Act allows any Michigan-resident taxpayer with an adjusted gross income of $200,000 or less to claim a credit for tuition and fees paid by, or on behalf of, a student attending a qualified institution of higher learning. A taxpayer may claim a credit of 8.0% of the sum of all tuition and fees paid, not to exceed $375 per student for up to four tax years. A "qualified institution of higher learning" is one that meets the following criteria: a) is located in Michigan; b) has instructional programs that are not composed solely of sectarian instruction or religious worship; c) is recognized by the State Board of Education and appears as an institution of higher learning in the annual publication "Directory of Institutions of Higher Education"; and d) did not increase tuition and fee rates by more than the annual average percentage increase in the U.S. Consumer Price Index (U.S. CPI) in the immediately preceding tax year.


In addition, the bill would make an FY 2001-02 appropriation of $32.7 million to State community colleges, independent colleges, and universities. The $32.7 million is based on the colleges' and universities' proportionate share of the total FY 2000-01 base appropriations. The bill would require the community colleges and universities to distribute the $32.7 million by December 1, 2001, on a per capita basis to all undergraduate students who were enrolled, and paid tuition and fees, for the fall 2001 semester or term. If a community college or university did not certify by October 15, 2001, that it would distribute the dollars in this manner, its appropriation would be reallocated, based on the same percentage that the community college or university received of the total $32.7 million appropriation, to the community colleges and universities that did comply with the certification requirement. Reallocation of funds from community colleges that failed to comply would be to community colleges; reallocation of university funds would be to universities. The appropriation for independent colleges would be distributed through the "Grant for general degree graduates" line-item, which allocates funds to colleges based on the number of degrees granted to Michigan residents in the prior year.


MCL 206.274


FISCAL IMPACT


If the Michigan tuition tax credit were eliminated, there would be an increase in State revenue and no impact on revenue for local units of government. Table 1 shows the amount of State revenue lost due to the tuition tax credit, as well as estimates for FYs 2000-01 and 2001-02. The table also lists the percentage change in the U.S. CPI for each year. For FY 2001-02, the $32.7 million included in the May 2001 Consensus Revenue Estimate for the tuition tax credit is the amount that would be returned to the State General Fund ending balance if the tuition tax credit were eliminated. The Senate has recommended appropriating the $32.7 million for community colleges ($5.17 million), universities ($26.26 million), and independent colleges ($1.27 million). Table 2 lists the amount for each college and university.

Table 1


TUITION TAX CREDIT AND U.S. CPI
Fiscal Year Tuition Tax Credit Amount U.S. CPI
1995-96 $7,783,474 2.6%
1996-97 12,174,964 2.8
1997-98 12,129,098 3.0
1998-99 22,441,418 2.3
1999-2000 4,813,083 1.6
2000-01* 8,500,000 2.2
2001-02* 32,700,000 3.4
*May 2001 Consensus Estimate
Data Source: Michigan Department of Treasury and U.S. Department of Commerce.

Table 2



Universities
SB 371(S-5) Appropriation
Central $1,460,946
Eastern 1,425,064
Ferris 902,813
Grand Valley 974,770
Lake Superior 232,021
Michigan State 5,299,163
Michigan Tech 898,280
Northern 845,779
Oakland 850,313
Saginaw Valley 444,628
UM-Ann Arbor 5,910,265
UM-Dearborn 455,034
UM-Flint 391,370
Wayne State 4,124,506
Western 2,043,632
General Degrees 1,274,969
Subtotal Universities $27,533,553

Community Colleges
Alpena $90,869
Bay De Noc 112,375
Delta 227,253
Glen Oaks 61,189
Gogebic 51,482
Grand Rapids 184,489
Community Colleges (cont.)
Henry Ford 481,326
Jackson 139,821
Kalamazoo 324,287
Kellogg 228,455
Kirtland 36,000
Lake Michigan 118,904
Lansing 616,198
Macomb 414,285
Mid Michigan 99,100
Monroe County 98,056
Montcalm 40,836
Mott 266,436
Muskegon 140,427
North Central 43,926
Northwestern 173,962
Oakland 214,733
St. Clair County 93,954
Schoolcraft 193,019
Southwestern 149,785
Washtenaw 355,277
Wayne County 170,532
West Shore 39,471
Subtotal Colleges $5,166,447
Total Appropriation $32,700,000

- Fiscal Analyst: E. JeffriesS0102\s371sa

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.