Interment in Michigan

Michigan Governor George Romney's hopes for the Republican presidential nomination--if he really entertained any--came tumbling down last week.

Romney had keyed the success or failure of his administration to Michigan's fiscal situation, which was a frightful mess. Working with his Republican legislative leadership, he drafted a fiscal reform program that included a 2% personal income tax, a 31% corporate profits tax, and a 6% income tax on financial institutions. It seemed a sound program for a state long tormented by a fiscal nightmare. But a special session of the legislature in Lansing last week buried Romney's proposals--and the interment was conducted no less by dissident Republicans than by Democrats. As a result, Michigan will not get fiscal reform this year, and perhaps not for a long time.

"I've Got a Program." The burial began a fortnight ago, when the Senate voted 20-11 to keep the income tax bill off the floor. Romney mustered only eleven G.O.P. votes; nine Republicans and eleven Democrats voted against him.

For days thereafter, Romney held long and fruitless meetings with members of both parties. He had little success with conservative Republicans and even less with Democrats. In one dramatic confrontation with about 40 House and Senate Democrats in his office, Romney declared: "I'm prepared to discuss with you any changes that you think will make the bill acceptable to you." Replied Democratic Lieutenant Governor T. John Lesinski: "We will not write your program. It is the responsibility of the executive to provide leadership. We stand ready to assist." Snapped Romney: "I'm not asking Democrats to write my program. I've got a program. What we're talking about is votes."

Two days later the House brought up a key amendment to the income tax bill, turned it down 47-44; 16 Republicans and 31 Democrats voted to kill. Thereupon, without even deigning to vote on the whole proposition, the legislature adjourned until next year.

"I Wouldn't Know." With his own Republican Party badly split, Romney has vitally needed Democratic votes. But the Democrats understandably were not eager to help Romney make a record that might boost him toward the White House. And they still had sad memories of how G.O.P. legislators had treated Romney's Democratic predecessors. Said a Democratic representative: "We needed Republican votes to pass Mennen Williams' and John Swainson's fiscal reform programs, but they were never forthcoming. George Romney was on the hook this time. Why should we have gotten him off?"

At a press conference later, a reporter asked the Governor if he thought that his defeat would tarnish his national image. Replied George Romney: "I wouldn't know--and I couldn't care less."

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