State Feed: Michigan

Michigan: Ballot Initiative Would Put MI on the Cutting Edge of Renewable Energy

AmandaKathryn — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:46:22 -0500

This November Michigan voters may get a chance to put Michigan among the forefront of states in renewable energy usage, pending a petition that would put the initiative on the 2012 ballot. The proposed ballot initiative would require that 25% of Michigan’s energy utilities come from renewable energy sources by 2025, a significant increase from the 4% that currently comes from renewable energy. By putting the initiative directly on the November ballot, the Michigan Jobs & Energy Coalition (which filed the proposed language change) would supersede the Michigan Legislature and put the power directly in the hands of voters.

This Is Common Sense: Not So Total Recall

Trevor Ford — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:36:36 -0500

Yesterday’s Common Sense article from Paul Jacob touches on the Michigan recall controversy:

Effort to Restrict Michigan Recall Rights

Trevor Ford — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:24:09 -0500

The state constitution of Michigan grants citizens the right to recall their elected officials, but that right may face a challenge from the state legislature:

More Michigan Recall Shenanigans: ACLU Says Sagatuck Silences Petitioners

Staff — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:00:51 -0400

A a letter from the Michigan ACLU reminded officials in Sagatuck this week that public streets are a public forum where restrictions on free speech are prohibited. The letter comes after two people collecting signatures to recall Gov. Rick Snyder were allegedly told they could not approach or speak to pedestrians on a public sidewalk:

To tell petitioners that they may not speak to pedestrians in Saugatuck is not only incorrect and unconstitutional, it sends a confusing message to residents about their rights.

Woman Kicked Out of Michigan Park for Carrying Recall Petition Files Suit

Staff — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:56:51 -0400

The powers that be at the Genesee County Parks Department don’t seem to be familiar with the freedom of speech guaranteed under the First Amendment. Fortunately for Michiganders, the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is.

Michigan: Eternal Vigilance Required

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:08:38 -0400

As with everyone, politicians and government officials like to get their way, and most of them don’t appreciate it when citizens take charge with popular initiative, referendum and recall petition campaigns. Michigan’s constitution recognizes the right of the people to exercise these forms of direct democracy, but that doesn’t prevent elected and appointed officials here from trying to restrict this right.

Read the story from the Mackinac Center

Michigan: Citizens gather signatures on public transit issue

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:30:12 -0500

A group of Emmet County organizations and community leaders are gaining support for a public initiative to put the creation of an Emmet County public transit system on the ballot for 2011. Friends Enhancing Emmet Transit, an offshoot of Emmet 20/20 and the Charlevoix Emmet Human Services coordinating body transportation work group, submitted a petition with 1,290 signatures Tuesday afternoon to the Emmet County Board of Commissioners calling for the county to allow voters to decide whether they would financially support a bus system. Of the signatures, 1,152 signatures were from Emmet County residents.

Read the story from Petosky News

Citizens in Charge Foundation President Calls on 12 States to End Unconstitutional Election Laws

Staff — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:43:47 -0400

Last week Citizens in Charge Foundation - a partner organization to Citizens in Charge - sent a letter to Secretaries of State and Attorneys General in 12 states asking them to stop enforcing unconstitutional restrictions on ballot initiative rights. In light of recent legal action in which Kansas officials agreed with petition advocates that the state’s law against petition circulators from other states was unconstitutional, Foundation President Paul Jacob asked officials to “do the right thing” and stop enforcing similar

Michigan: Kalamazoo ballot may have marijuana measure

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:52:24 -0400

A Marijuana initiative will likely be on Kalamazoo’s Ballot in November. It wouldn’t be the legalization of Marijuana, but a group has submitted petitions to ask voters to change the city Charter to make investigations of the use or possession of less than an ounce of marijuana the Public Safety Department’s “Lowest Priority”. It would still be a crime to drive under the influence, or smoke dope in public, or to deal or possess in larger amounts.

Michigan: Push for mayoral education oversight to be on ballot

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:46:51 -0400

After an angry and contentious Detroit City Council meeting Tuesday, an advocacy group will make one more attempt next week to convince council members to put a question on the Nov. 3 ballot about whether the mayor should oversee Detroit Public Schools.

Read the story from the Detroit Free Press

Michigan: Casino measure doesn't get signatures needed

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:19:46 -0400

It looks like Benton Harbor won’t be getting a casino any time soon, as a statewide effort to get expanded gambling on the November ballot has failed. According to the Michigan Department of State, none of the groups that hoped to place a constitutional amendment or an initiative on the ballot were able to collect enough petition signatures before Monday’s deadline. That includes Michigan Is Yours, which had sought voter approval to open several new casinos.

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?

Staff — 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.