2 days ago
Wealth tax for school funding initiative starts signature collection with opposition pouncing
A copy of the petition to be circulated by the Invest in MI Kids Ballot Proposal Coalition. July 31, 2025 | Photo By Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance
The constitutional amendment to implement a new tax on wealthy Michiganders is still aiming for the 2026 ballot after facing some initial setbacks and new attacks, with its signature collection driving kicking off on Friday.
Members of Invest in MI Kids said it started collecting signatures last week using the 100-word summary that was approved June 27 by the Michigan Board of State Canvassers. That has opened up further complications for the effort, as the board on July 10 walked back the approval for the previous 100-word summary and then deadlocked on a revised summary at their July 31 meeting.
Initiative officials said Friday that the effort which resulted in the board deadlocking was just one part of well-funded right-wing attacks against the proposal, which is estimated to generate nearly $1 billion annually.
But those attacks keep coming. The Coalition to Stop the Business and Family Tax Hike, an organization opposed to the Invest in MI Kids initiative, issued a cease and desist motion to prevent the group from collecting its signatures.
Jase Bolger, CEO of West Michigan Policy Forum and a former Republican Michigan House speaker, said in a statement that the amendment would hurt small businesses – even though the initiative was aimed at the wealthiest Michiganders.
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'I applaud the move today by the Coalition to Stop the Business and Family Tax Hike,' Bolger said. 'They filed a cease and desist motion to stop the signature gathering for an unapproved ballot initiative. Because, the proponents of this devastating proposal are using language that is misleading. Voters should not be fooled.'
In response, Imani Foster, a spokesperson for the Invest MI Kids initiative, told Michigan Advance that the coalition is focused on the task at hand.
'While we're busy engaging Michiganders, together with our thousands of volunteers, we won't be distracted by meaningless letters from big money Washington lawyers,' Foster said.
The group also noted its belief that the board had no authority under Michigan law to rescind its prior approval of the petition summary language.
'The petitions currently being circulated by Invest in MI Kids include a petition summary that the director of elections has deemed compliant with the Michigan Election Law twice and that the Board of Canvassers has approved as compliant once,' Foster added.
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