(Source: MIRS.news, Published 03/18/2024) Petitions for the constitutional amendment to try to do away with property taxes in Michigan have decided they don't need the approval of the Board of Canvassers and started circulating petitions.
During its last meeting, the Board of Canvassers saw Axe MI Tax pull its petition because of several errors but did have a 100-word summary approved. However, the organizer confirmed they were not using the approved summary on the circulating petitions because they believe games are being played. Bureau of Elections Director Jonathan Brater said they were free to put whatever they wished on the form.
"The only consequence of that is, if they use the summary I drafted and that was approved, then the board cannot hear challenges to the petitions based on the idea that the summary is misleading, whereas now the board presumably could entertain those challenges," Brater said.
Brater said the group submitted the petition they intended to circulate, but said he didn't know if the petitions were actually being circulated.
Karla Wagner, the Axe MI Tax organizer, said in a text exchange with MIRS that she was busy with presentations of the proposal to do away with property taxes.
"We are circulating petitions … There isn't much else to say at this point," Wagner said.
Brater said if the canvassers were to eventually see the requisite number of signatures, that the board would eventually have to take up.
"I'm sure we'll hear various opinions about that," he said.
Wagner has twice before expressed her frustrations about bringing the petitions before the Board of Canvassers, with the last attempt in January seeing the 100-word summary approval being a collaboration between Brater, Axe MI Tax Attorney Paul McCord, and opposition attorneys Mark Brewer and Steve Liedel.
The collaboration was brought up by Republican board member Richard Houskamp, who was confused about why the petitions wouldn't use the approved summary.
"That's the choice of the circulator and I don't know what their motivation is, but they certainly have that choice," Brater said.
