Brought to you by Election Magic Michigan November 2006 General Election - 11/7/2006

Proposal Text

State Proposal - 06-1 -- Constitutional Amendment: Dedicate Use of Conservation/Recreation Funds

A PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE THAT MONEY HELD IN CONSERVATION AND RECREATION FUNDS CAN ONLY BE USED FOR THEIR INTENDED PURPOSES

The proposed constitutional amendment would:

* Create a Conservation and Recreation Legacy Fund within the Constitution and establish existing conservation and recreation accounts as components of the fund.

* Use current funding sources such as state park entrance and camping fees; snowmobile, ORV and boating registration fees; hunting and fishing license fees; taxes and other revenues to fund accounts.

* Establish the current Game and Fish Protection Fund and the Nongame Fish and Wildlife Fund within the Constitution.

* Provide that money held in Funds can only be used for specific purposes related to conservation and recreation and cannot be used for any purpose other than those intended.

Should this proposal be adopted?

State Proposal - 06-2 -- Constitutional Amendment: Ban Affirmative Action Programs

A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO BAN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAMS THAT GIVE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS BASED ON THEIR RACE, GENDER, COLOR, ETHNICITY OR NATIONAL ORIGIN FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION OR CONTRACTING PURPOSES

The proposed constitutional amendment would:

* Ban public institutions from using affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes. Public institutions affected by the proposal include state government, local governments, public colleges and universities, community colleges and school districts.

* Prohibit public institutions from discriminating against groups or individuals due to their gender, ethnicity, race, color or national origin. (A separate provision of the state constitution already prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin.)

Should this proposal be adopted?

State Proposal - 06-3 -- Referendum: Hunting Season for Mourning Doves

A REFERENDUM ON PUBLIC ACT 160 OF 2004 -- AN ACT TO ALLOW THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HUNTING SEASON FOR MOURNING DOVES

Public Act 160 of 2004 would:

* Authorize the Natural Resources Commission to establish a hunting season for mourning doves.

* Require a mourning dove hunter to have a small game license and a $2.00 mourning dove stamp.

* Stipulate that revenue from the stamp must be split evenly between the Game and Fish Protection Fund and the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund.

* Require the Department of Natural Resources to address responsible mourning dove hunting; management practices for the propagation of mourning doves; and participation in mourning dove hunting by youth, the elderly and the disabled in the Department's annual hunting guide.

Should this law be approved?

State Proposal - 06-4 -- Consitutional Amendment: Restrict Use of Eminent Domain

A PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO PROHIBIT GOVERNMENT FROM TAKING PRIVATE PROPERTY BY EMINENT DOMAIN FOR CERTAIN PRIVATE PURPOSES

The proposed constitutional amendment would:

* Prohibit government from taking private property for transfer to another private individual or business for purposes of economic development or increasing tax revenue.

* Provide that if an individual’s principal residence is taken by government for public use, the individual must be paid at least 125% of property’s fair market value.

* Require government that takes a private property to demonstrate that the taking is for a public use; if taken to eliminate blight, require a higher standard of proof to demonstrate that the taking of that property is for a public use.

* Preserve existing rights of property owners.

Should this proposal be adopted?

State Proposal - 06-5 -- Legislative Initiative: Establish Mandatory School Funding

A LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE TO ESTABLISH MANDATORY SCHOOL FUNDING LEVELS

The proposed law would:

* Increase current funding by approximately $565 million and require State to provide annual funding increases equal to the rate of inflation for public schools, intermediate school districts, community colleges, and higher education (includes state universities and financial aid/grant programs).

* Require State to fund any deficiencies from General Fund.

* Base funding for school districts with a declining enrollment on three-year student enrollment average.

* Reduce and cap retirement fund contribution paid by public schools, community colleges and state universities; shift remaining portion to state.

* Reduce funding gap between school districts receiving basic per-pupil foundation allowance and those receiving maximum foundation allowance.

Should this proposed law be approved?

Kalamazoo County Public Transportation Authority Millage Request --

THIS PROPOSAL IS FOR A NEW, ADDITIONAL MILLAGE The Kalamazoo County Transportation Authority, County of Kalamazoo, Michigan was formed to operate and provide public transportation within the County of Kalamazoo and seeks authorization from the electors to levy up to 0.45 mills for this purpose. Accordingly, for the purpose of providing public transportation services within Kalamazoo County, shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed on taxable property in Kalamazoo County be increased by 0.45 mills, being 45 cents ($0.45) per thousand dollars ($1,000) of taxable value on all taxable property in Kalamazoo County for a period of two (2) years, being 2006 (collected in 2007) and 2007 (collected in 2008)? It is estimated that 0.45 mills would raise approximately $3,396,025 when first levied in 2006 and collected in 2007.

Richland Township Proposal -- Increase in Number of Trustees on Township Board

Shall the number of trustees elected to the Township Board of the Township of Richland, Kalamazoo County, Michigan be increased from two trustees to four trustees?

Ross Township Proposal -- Township Operating Millage

Shall the allocated Township millage of 1.0 mills reduced by required rollback to 0.6874 mills through 2005 be increased by 0.3126 mills ($0.3126 per $1,000 of taxable value of taxable real and personal property) to recover such reductions for levy in the years 2006 through 2009 inclusive, for general Township operating purposes; and shall the Township levy such increase which will raise in the first year of the levy an estimated $79,103?

Portage City Proposal #1 -- Charter Amendment #1

Shall Section 8.1(c) of the City of Portage Charter be amended to authorize the levy of up to an additional one tenth of one percent (one mill) on the assessed value of all real and personal property in the City (which will raise in the first year of such levy up to an estimated $1,911,889.00) for the construction or reconstruction of streets under the City's jurisdiction? NOTE: THIS AMENDMENT WILL NOT TAKE EFFECT UNLESS PROPOSAL 2 IS ALSO APPROVED

City of Portage Proposal #2 -- Charter Amendment #2

Shall Section 9.1 of the City of Portage Charter be amended to provide that no special assessment shall be imposed for the construction or reconstruction of streets under the City's jurisdiction unless initiated by citizen petition fulfilling the requirements of City Ordinance? NOTE: THIS AMENDMENT WILL NOT TAKE EFFECT UNLESS PROPOSAL 1 IS ALSO APPROVED

Comstock Public Schools Proposal -- Repair and Improvement Sinking Fund

Shall the Comstock Public Schools, County of Kalamazoo, Michigan, be authorized to levy 2.5 mills to create a sinking fund for the purpose of the construction or reapir of school buildings and the improvement and development of sites and, to the extent permitted by law, the acquisition and installation of furnishings and equipment, technology equipment and buses, by increasing the limitation on the anount of taxes which may be imposed on taxable property in the School District for a period of five (5) years, being the years 2007 to 2011, inclusive? It is estimated that 2.5 mills ($2.50 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) would raise approximately $1,127,427 in the first year that it is levied. (under state law, proceeds may not be used to pay teacher or administrator salaries.)