• Tweet
• Share
• Email
• Print

The number of ballot proposals Michigan voters will see come November grew by three Monday, as three more groups filed signatures before the Bureau of Elections filing deadline.

A total of seven measures have been filed, if you count the Emergency Financial Manager referendum that is currently in litigation. Six of the proposals are constitutional amendments.

The signatures arrived to the Secretary of State's Office by the truck load Monday.

"It's going to create a lot more stability for the families and the business as we move forward trying to bring Michigan back," Lana Theis, a supporter of an effort to require a super majority, or two-thirds vote, to increase taxes said.

Another group wants to require voter approval for any government-sponsored international crossings.

"The legislature said no, he's going around the legislature and this is a way for the people to weigh in," Mickey Blashfield, with The People Should Decide ballot committee said.

Both initiatives say they've gathered more than 600,000 signatures, substantially more than what is required to make the ballot.

"In many ways there's been some deception involved in collecting signatures, in messaging," Rob Fowler, President of the Small Business Association of Michigan said.

The SBA is part of a coalition opposed to the swath of ballot proposals. Fowler calls the measures an overreach.

"The constitution really wasn't designed for this to be a place where special interests go and sort of accomplish what they couldn't through the legislature," he added.

"They've all been cleverly named to sound like really good ideas," Rich Studley, Michigan Chamber of Commerce President said.

Studley argues that proposals including, Protect our Jobs, The People Should Decide and Keep Home Care a Safe Choice, could have unintended consequences.

"Study the proposals carefully, listen to the arguments for and against," Studley added.

Those in favor of the measures say the boxes and boxes of signatures, prove the issues are the will of the people.

"The special interests will try to beat this down and say how tough it will be to make things work, that's not the case, it can work," Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, a supporter of the super majority proposal said.

If all measures qualify, this will be Michigan's most active ballot season since the late 1970s.