Latest news with #AxMITAX
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Multiple ballot proposals underway for 2026 election
(The Center Square) – More than a year from Election Day, a number of proposals are already moving toward appearing on Michigan's 2026 ballot. Currently, six proposals have received approval from the state Board of State Canvassers and are in the process of gathering signatures. One proposal is already set to appear on the ballot. Each proposal must be presented in a 100-word summary to voters. According to state law, the board must determine whether the language of the summaries are 'true and impartial.' Since 1986, Michigan voters approved 34 ballot proposals, defeating 31. The one measure already set to appear on the ballot asks voters whether to hold a state constitutional convention. It will appear on the ballot as an automatic ballot referral, meaning it automatically appears on the state's ballot every 16 years. Michigan is one of 14 states that provides for an automatic constitutional convention question, something that was first approved by Michigan voters in 1960. Five of the proposals are constitutional amendments. • AxMITAX: Prohibit state, county, or municipal property taxes; require 60% of voters to approve local taxes; and require a 2/3 vote of both the state Senate and House to increase any state tax which would raise revenue by more than 0.1% over five years. • Protect Voters Rights: Require individuals to verify United States citizenship during voter registration; require photo ID for in-person and absentee voters. • Americans for Citizens Voting, Version 1: Require the Secretary of State to verify citizenship of all registered voters, document citizenship, remove non-citizens using governmental records, and track separate eligibility requirements for federal and state/local elections; and prohibit counting ballots from voters with unverified citizenship. • Americans for Citizens Voting, Version 2: Require citizenship verification for all voters through statewide program, document submission, or provisional voting; require removing noncitizens after notice and 45-day rebuttal; and prohibit counting ballots from voters with unverified citizenship starting in 2027. • Rank MI Vote: Require ranked-choice voting for federal offices and state leadership by allowing voters to numerically rank candidates by voter preference starting in 2029. The sixth proposal that has been approved is a voter referendum. The Voters to Stop Paycuts referendum would repeal Public Act 1 of 2025, which raised the state minimum wage to $15 by 2027. If passed, it would return the state to previous legislation which totally phased out the tipped wage system. Business leaders in the state have been vocal in their opposition to this referendum. 'This is a damaging proposal for the economy, for small businesses, larger businesses, but especially for workers,' said Brian Calley, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan, as previously reported by The Center Square. To be placed on the November 2026 ballot, each proposal must receive more than 300,000 signatures by March 2026. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Competing Michigan property tax plans include both reform and elimination
The Brief Competing Michigan property tax plans are underway in the state, including a ballot proposal to eliminate the levy. The other plan calls for simply reforming the system - which hasn't been undertaken in decades. Property taxes pay for local governments and many school systems, making the funding mechanism a delicate topic. (FOX 2) - For decades, public officials have avoided touching Michigan's property tax system. While many complain of high costs associated with owning a home, the taxes help pay for schools and local governments. Now, competing plans are evolving in Lansing, with one pitching reform and another pushing for their outright elimination. Big picture view Michigan voters may have a crowded ballot when they head to the polls in 2026 for the midterm elections next year. The consequential election is still more than a year out, but the political wheels this summer have been turning a lot and the number of potential questions voters could face could be a lengthy one. Among possible ballot proposals is one that would completely remove Michigan's property tax. The main funding mechanism that many schools and local governments use to fund operations would cease if the proposal is approved. Alternative revenue sources would be needed to keep municipalities up and running if voters gave the initiative their approval. The AxMITAX campaign is led by Karla Wagner, who has set the goal of collecting 600,000 valid signatures this summer to ensure the proposal makes the 2026 ballot. The petition's language that will be circulating this summer can be found here. Dig deeper The campaign is not the only push for property tax relief in Michigan. State House Speaker Matt Hall said reform was badly needed. The last time lawmakers touched property tax was three decades ago. He predicted the issue would "dominate" state politics. "How do we do property tax and the potential of putting that on the next ballot if we can't do it all, legislatively," Hall told Tim Skubick on Off The Record earlier in August. He said he'd be working on reforming Prop A, which funds schools specifically, and the Headlee Amendment, which is a function used by local governments. But whereas Wagner wants to completely rid the state of property taxes, Hall only wants to reduce it for some people. That's because so many governing agencies rely heavily on the revenue source to stay up and running. "We need to properly fund education and local governments - that's why you can't get rid of the property tax," Hall said at the time. "After the budget, our next focus is going to be how we tackle this issue and at that time I'll have a good read on whether that's something we can pull that together for this election. We're definitely considering it." Major ballot proposals Voters could also be deciding on voting and election security issues next year. The Michigan Board of State Canvassers, which approves language for ballot initiatives that voters see, has also given the greenlight for issues about Ranked Choice Voting, a tax on the state's wealthiest citizens to fund schools, and voter ID laws. The Source Previous reporting and interviews with public officials and campaign leaders were cited for this story. Solve the daily Crossword
