State Feed: Michigan

ACLU of Michigan Wins National Award for Lawsuit Defending Petition Rights

Trevor — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:51:19 -0500

(LAKE RIDGE, VA) – Citizens in Charge Foundation, a national voter rights group focused on the ballot initiative and referendum process, presented the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan with the October 2011 John Lilburne Award for filing a lawsuit andcoming to the defense of Michigan citizens whose First Amendment petition rights were infringed upon by state and local government.

Michigan: Vote on village existence in November

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:55:16 -0400

The tiny Kent county village of Sand Lake may vote itself out of existence Aug. 3. The reason? Some residents say they pay too much in taxes. The Grand Rapids Press reports on the situation, calling it a “civil war” and noting that the battle has been brewing for months. Residents submitted 56 signatures for disincorporation in December. Of those, 53 were certified by Nelson Township Clerk Laura Hoffman.

Read the story from The Michigan Messenger

Michigan: Board likely to put measure on ballot to raise property taxes

Mon, 17 May 2010 11:37:31 -0400

Facing declining property tax revenues, the city of Mt. Clemens — located in Macomb County — is expected to approve a ballot measure Monday night to increase property taxes, the Macomb Daily reports. The city, like most in the state, has been socked hard by a stagnant economy, record high unemployment and crashing property values. As a result, Mt. Clemens is facing nearly $1 million in deficits this budget year. Adding to the financial crisis is a 24 percent increase in employee health care costs — $800,000 for current employees and $1.4 million for retirees.

Michigan: Tax increases passed on ballot

Thu, 06 May 2010 15:56:52 -0400

In what may be an indication of the limited reach and political muscle of the nascent anti-government, anti-tax Tea Party movement, voters in three municipalities and at least two school districts in west Michigan approved various tax increase initiatives. The Grand Rapids Press reports that residents in Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Wyoming all voted to approve tax increases on themselves to support fire and police services. While voters in Holland’s school district and in the Kenowa Hills district approved millages to fund building and various expansions in those districts.

Michigan: Opposition to casino measure lines up

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:50:08 -0400

This week, a coalition made up of law enforcement, state lawmakers, and various anti-gambling groups launched a campaign to oppose a ballot initiative that would allow the creation of several new casinos in Michigan — including one in Benton Harbor. A group called Michigan Is Yours is behind the plan to open seven new casinos, and needs about 386-thousand signatures on its petitions to get the matter before voters in November. Benton Harbor Mayor Wilce Cooke is a supporter of the idea, and has said that the possibility of opening a casino locally would be at least worth studying.

Weaker Recall Rights in Michigan?

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:21:55 -0400

The Saginaw News has a piece in which Saginaw Valley State University political science professor Robert W. Lane and several Saginaw-area officials claim Michiganders’ ability to recall elected officials is too powerful and should be weakened.

Michigan: After healthcare passage, citizens turn to ballot initiative to opt out

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:16:19 -0400

Roughly 200 people filled the Howell High School Freshman Campus cafeteria Monday to learn how to circulate petitions for a state constitutional amendment to opt out of the new federal health-care law. The meeting was hosted by the 912 Liberty Tea Party of Western Livingston County, and launched the petition drive by the Michigan Citizens for Healthcare Freedom. Michigan Citizens for Healthcare Freedom was spearheaded by Marion Township resident Wendy Day, also a Howell Public Schools Board of Education member and head of Common Sense in Government.

Michigan: Petition drive launched to protect state from health-care bill

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:13:51 -0400

A group of activists, legislators and community leaders is launching a petition drive to put a measure on the ballot asking voters whether they want to exempt the state from the federal health care overhaul. State Rep. Tom McMillin was to be joined by Tea Party groups and others this afternoon at a kick-off in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak. Organizers have modeled a proposed amendment to the Michigan constitution on one that will be on Arizona’s ballot later this year.

Michigan: Voters likely to play part in school aid decisions

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:49:42 -0500

Reform school spending first, then ask voters this summer to pay more for public education, if necessary, a leading House Democrat proposed Wednesday. House Education Committee Chairman Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, said at an education town hall meeting that plans are in the works to tie spending reforms in areas such as school employee retirement and health care to a ballot initiative in the August primary for a sales tax on services, a reduction in business tax breaks or other revenue measures.

Michigan: Signature gathering for marijuana initiative starts

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:35:03 -0500

A local marijuana reform group will begin collecting signatures this week seeking support to soften pot laws in the city of Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo Coalition for Pragmatic Cannabis Laws wants to amend the city charter to state that the possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana by those 21 and older should be “the lowest possible priority” for law enforcement. If approved by voters, Kalamazoo would become the first city in Michigan with such a law. The coalition must collect 2,765 signatures of registered voters in the city — 5 percent of registered voters — by Aug.

Michigan: School funding changes could be up to the voters

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:32:19 -0500

The head of a group pushing for school funding reforms says if the Legislature doesn’t take action, his group will push for a ballot initiative. “I am offended at the notion that we have to go to the ballot,” said Tom White, chairman of Save Our Students, Schools and State (SOS) and former head of the Michigan School Business Officials organization. “But if we have to go, we will.”

Read the story from the Detroit Free Press

Michigan: State legislators look to change voter approved measures

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:24:46 -0500

Just over a year ago, Michigan voters put their stamp of approval on measures loosening restrictions on embryonic stem cell research and letting some sick people use marijuana for medical reasons. Now state lawmakers — mostly conservative Republicans — are trying to change both measures, saying they need clarification to ensure there’s enough oversight of the research and marijuana use the ballot measures allowed.

Federal Court: First Amendment Applies to Michigan Recall Petitions Too

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:29:00 -0500

United States District Court Judge Robert Holmes Bell has made Michigan the ninth state to see a requirement that campaign workers who circulate petitions be residents of the state struck down. In 2008 federal appeals courts struck down residency requirements in Ohio, Arizona and Oklahoma. Residency requirements of some kind have previously been ruled unconstitutional in California, Colorado, Wisconsin, Illinois, and New York.

Northern Michigan officials come out against mining initiative

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:22:54 -0500

A ballot measure that would restrict mining “under the clever guise of protecting water,” is actually “an attack by special interests on the U.P. and its people, heritage, and economic future,” according to a statement released this week by a bipartisan group of state lawmakers from the Upper Peninsula.

Read the story from The Michigan Messenger

Ballot measure for lower insurance rates

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:34:19 -0500

Michigan voters could decide whether to reduce automobile, home and business insurance premiums by 20 percent if a proposal qualifies for the 2010 statewide ballot. The form of a legislative initiative submitted by a group called Fair Affordable Insurance Rates was approved Monday by the Board of State Canvassers. Supporters still must collect more than 304,000 valid voter signatures and clear other procedural hurdles to put the measure on next November’s ballot.

Vote on incorporating into a city

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:41:23 -0500

On Tuesday, voters in this village will decide if the pursuit to incorporate the village into a home rule city should continue. If voters approve it, the village’s City Committee will continue the process of incorporating the village into a city. Voters will later have an opportunity to elect a city charter commission and to vote on a city charter.

Read the story from the Huron Daily Tribune

Mining petition form approved

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:48:47 -0400

A proposed Michigan ballot measure that would prohibit some types of mining and restrict others took a small step forward Wednesday. The petition form submitted by a group called the Michigan Save Our Water Committee was approved by a state election board. The group would have to collect more than 300,000 valid signatures of Michigan voters to get its proposal on the statewide November 2010 ballot.

Read the story from the Chicago Tribune

Ballot language doesn't pass

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:53:28 -0400

A judge ruled against a ballot initiative to have city council members elected by districts instead of at-large on Friday, calling the language of the proposal “insufficient” according to the Detroit Free Press. The community coalition Detroiters for Council by Districts filed the lawsuit with City Clerk Janice Winfrey for holding the proposal from the Nov. 3 ballot after questions arose regarding the language of the proposal and its legality.

School fund increase will be on November ballot in Detroit

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:00:56 -0400

Detroit Public Schools is expected to ask city voters to OK a $500.5 million bond initiative for building upgrades and other needs in the struggling district. The Michigan Department of Treasury last week approved the district’s request to place the initiative on the Nov. 3 ballot. The district has until today to submit language to the city Election Commission to meet the deadline for the ballot, said Daniel Baxter, Detroit’s director of elections. The commission could certify placement as early as today.

Common Sense: Rising Recalls

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:01:52 -0400

Nearly twice as many efforts to recall public officials are underway this year than last, according to Citizens in Charge Foundation President Paul Jacob. In his daily Common Sense commentary, Paul points out several of the recall efforts from around the country, many of which have been mentioned on this site.