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Proposal Text
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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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
Shall the limitation on general ad valorem taxes within Big Prairie Township as established by Article IX, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution, be increased by one and one-half (1.5) mills ($1.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) upon all taxable real and personal property within Big Prairie Township, Newaygo County, Michigan, for a period of five (5) years, 2006 through 2010, inclusive, for the repair, maintenance and improvement of roads within the Township? (If approved and levied, one and one-half (1.5) mills are estimated to raise $91,230.68 in the first calendar year of the levy.)
Shall the previously voted increase in the 15-mill tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution upon taxable real and personal property within Lilley Township be renewed at 1.5 mills ($1.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) for the period of 2008 through 2010, inclusive, for the purpose of funding the operation of the Lilley Township Fire Department; and shall the township levy such renewal in millage for such purposes during this period? (If approved, 1.5 mills will raise approximately $44,171.00 in the first year of the levy.)
Shall the previously voted increase in the 15-mill tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution upon taxable real and personal property within Lilley Township be renewed at .25 of 1 mill ($.25 per $1,000 of taxable value) for the period of 2008 through 2010, inclusive, for the purpose of funding the operation of the Lilley Township Cemetery; and shall the township levy such renewal in millage for such purposes during this period? (If approved, .25 of 1 mill will raise approximately $7,363.00 in the first year of the levy.)
Shall the previously voted increase in the 15-mill tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution upon taxable real and personal property within Lilley Township be renewed at .50 of 1 mill ($.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) for the period of 2008 through 2010, inclusive, for general township operation purposes; and shall the township levy such renewal in millage for such purposes during this period? (If approved, .50 of 1 mill will raise approximately $14,724.00 in the first year of the levy.)
Shall the tax limitation on general ad valorem taxes within Merrill Township imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution be increased for said Township by .25 mill ($0.25 per $1,000 of taxable value) for the period of 2007 through 2012, inclusive, for Merrill Township cemetery maintenance and improvement; and shall the Township levy such increase in millage for said purpose, thereby, raising in the first year an estimated $4,700?
Reason for Demanding Recall of Gordon Elzinga from the Office of Township Supervisor of Merrill Township:
Gordon Elzinga spent out over $40,000.00 to assessor for work that was incomplete and incorrect.
Justification of Conduct in Office of Gordon Elzinga:
The charges are not true:
1. The Township Board, not the supervisor, made a contract with the township's assessor for a reappraisal of the township.
2. The reappraisal in question was made in a timely manner and is complete. Any necessary corrections found and reported were immediately corrected.
3. The Township Board, not the supervisor, approved payment for the reappraisal according to the contract terms.
Recall Question:
Shall Gordon Elzinga be recalled from the office of Township Supervisor, Townnship of Merrill, County of Newaygo, Michigan?
This proposal will enable the school district to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property except principal residence and qualified agricultural property required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, exempting therefrom principal residence and qualified agricultural property as defined by law, in Holton Public Schools, Muskegon, Oceana and Newaygo Counties, Michigan, be increased by 3 mills ($3.00 on each $1,000.00 of taxable valuation) for a period of 8 years, 2006 to 2013, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2006 is approximately $46,800 (this millage is to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will be levied only to the extent necessary to restore that reduction)?
