(Source: MIRS.news, Published 08/23/2022) (DELTA TWP.) – The language behind the Voters for Transparency and Term Limits constitutional amendment was approved during the Board of Canvassers meeting Wednesday afternoon after a prolonged discussion.
No one had any objections to the transparency section of the proposal, but the fight came over language that would be presented to the signers of the petition. Lawyers and citizens argued that the constitutional amendment proposed would repeal the 1992 term limits, not amend them, as proposal supporters claimed.
“Never have so few applied this much lipstick to a pig,” said attorney Kurt O’Keefe.
The fight over the language took up most of the afternoon with both sides insisting the language they would be using would be the correct language.
After several hours the Board created a summary of the petition that stated the proposal would “replace the current term limits for state representative and state senator with a 12-year-total limit in any combination between the House and Senate, with exception that someone elected to the Senate in 2022 can be elected the number of times allowed when the person became a candidate.”
In the end both sides felt like they didn’t get everything they wanted in the summary, but it was chalked up as a win by both sides.
“This was a battle for a purpose,” said Patrick Anderson. “Citizens need to be informed that the current term-limits would be replaced under this proposal.”
The Constitutional ballot initiative would change term limits and transparency in Michigan. It would allow members of the Legislature, who haven’t already served 14 years, to serve up to 12 years in one Legislative chamber, rather than six years in the House and eight years in the Senate.
“After three decades, it’s time to update Michigan’s term limits law so it better serves our needs today, and this proposal does that,” said Rich Studley, co-chair of Voters for Transparency and Term Limits.
Scott Tillman, the National Field Director for U.S. Term Limits, said he believes with the way the language was changed in the summary that people would see through the attempt to reverse term limits in Michigan.
“This is a trick. We know it is a trick. They know it is a trick. They had to sweeten it up with transparency,” Tillman said.
Josh Pugh, spokesperson for the pro-side -- Voters for Transparency and Term Limits, said Michigan and Idaho are the only two states that don’t require state government leaders to file financial disclosures.
“It’s time for Michigan to join 48 other states that require state lawmakers and state officers to disclose their finances,” said Mark Gaffney, co-chair of Voters for Transparency and Term Limits.
O'Keefe said he thought transparency was a great thing, but he questioned the transparency of a group that received $5 million to campaign from unknown sources.
“Transparency for thee, but none for me,” he said.
Pugh said he was excited to get the petitions on the street in the next day or two, after the language is changed to meet the Board of Canvassers' approved summary.
“We are going to be all over the state over the next few weeks and months and we’re looking forward to hearing from people about this proposal,” he said.
Tillman said he believes the canvas will be run with them not mentioning the term limits because they didn’t get the language they wanted in the summery.
“People like term limits,” he said. “It is going to be a dishonest campaign, because they lost their language.”
Board of Canvassers Passes Language On Union-Logo Stalled Initiatives
The Board of State Canvassers approved the language today on two ballot initiatives that were stalled because of the size of lettering on a union label, which became the subject of a Michigan Supreme Court decision.
The Raise the Wage petitions will be able to move forward and start gathering signatures after the language was approved, but the Reproductive Freedom for All petition was passed on a condition that a word be removed.
The abortion petition was changed after another objection from attorney Eric DOSTER, who initially objected to the union logo. The objection involved what he called a “typo” to the proposed petition.
“Some of this last-minute gamesmanship gets under my skin,” board member Anthony DAUNT said.
Attorney Mark Brewer said the petitions were crafted so the union labels were changed to be 8-point type, “just in case” the Supreme Court decision did not go their way.
The board approved the condition with Board member Jeanette Bradshaw voting no.
