Michigan International Bridge Initiative, Proposal 6 (2012)

International Bridge Initiative
Type	Constitutional amendment
Origin	Citizens
Topic	Transportation on the ballot
Status	d

The Michigan International Bridge Initiative was on the November 6, 2012 statewide ballot in Michigan as an initiated constitutional amendment, where it was defeated. If enacted this measure would have required voters to approve any new bridge or tunnel from Michigan to Canada. The measure was proposed by the Detroit International Bridge Co. and is being sponsored by a committee called The People Should Decide.

Election results

See also: 2012 ballot measure election results

Michigan Proposal 6
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		2,699,558	59%
Yes		1,853,127	41%

Official results from the Michigan Secretary of State.

Text of measure

The official ballot text read as follows:

PROPOSAL 12-1

A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF INTERNATIONAL BRIDGES AND TUNNELS

This proposal would:

• Require the approval of a majority of voters at a statewide election and in each municipality where “new international bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles” are to be located before the State of Michigan may expend state funds or resources for acquiring land, designing, soliciting bids for, constructing, financing, or promoting new international bridges or tunnels.
  

• Create a definition of "new international bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles" that means, "any bridge or tunnel which is not open to the public and serving traffic as of January 1, 2012."
  
  

Should this proposal be approved?
YES __
NO ____

Background

The Detroit International Bridge Co. filed the measure in response to a proposed project aimed at constructing a new international bridge increasing the number of lanes connecting Detroit to Windsor in Canada. The project, called the New International Trade Crossing (NITC), would compete for traffic with the Detroit International Bridge Co.'s current bridge, the Ambassador Bridge.

Support

The Detroit International Bridge Co. released a number of ads either supporting the amendment or targeting the New International Trade Crossing. However, the group Michigan Truth Squad, part of the bipartisan Center for Michigan, rated all the ads "Flagrant Foul," questioning the truthfulness of their contents.

Arguments

• Founder of Washington, D.C.-based Americans for Tax Reform, Grover Norquist, voiced his support for the measure arguing that the government should not get "into the business of building bridges." Norquist says federal funds will be used to construct a U.S. customs plaza for the bridge, something he says, "is not free."

Campaign contributions

In Michigan campaign finance information related to ballot measures is organized by ballot question committees. The following data was obtained from the state Campaign Finance Committee:

Committee info:

Committee	Amount raised	Amount spent
The People Should Decide	$4,657,500.00	$4,588,552.97
Total	$4,657,500.00	$4,588,552.97

Opposition

As a supporter of the new bridge which would compete with Detroit International Bridge Co., Governor Rick Snyder opposes this amendment which would seriously hamper plans on the new bridge if passed.

Opponents

• Gov. Rick Snyder
• State Rep. Rashida Tlaib
• Michigan Chamber of Commerce
• Taxpayers Against Monopolies

Arguments

• In a press release published in September 2012, Gov. Snyder said, "While the proposal is intended to protect one company's monopoly on truck crossings between Detroit and Canada, it was sloppily written and jeopardizes ANY bridge under construction today that won't be completed by January 1, 2012, or any bridge built thereafter."

Polls

See also: Polls, 2012 ballot measures

• An EPIC-MRA poll conducted on September 8-11, 2012, found that 47 percent were in support of the measure, while 44 percent were opposed, and another 9% were undecided. The poll was based on a poll of 600 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.

Legend      Position is ahead and at or over 50%     Position is ahead or tied, but under 50%

Date of Poll	Pollster	In favor	Opposed	Undecided	Number polled
September 8-11, 2012	EPIC-MRA	47%	44%	9%	600

Path to the ballot

See also: Michigan signature requirements

In order to place the measure on the November 2012 ballot supporters were required to collect a minimum of 322,609 valid signatures by July 9, 2012.

Following a stalemate vote in the Board of State Canvassers, the measure was taken to the Michigan Supreme Court where it was certified for the ballot.

See also

Suggest a link

• 2012 ballot measures
• Michigan 2012 ballot measures

External links

• Reasons to Oppose Proposal 6, the 2012 Michigan International Bridge Initiative

Additional reading

• Detroit Free Press, "Editorial: Ballot question is Moroun's newest ploy to stall public bridge," April 24, 2012
• The Detroit News, "Public bridge vote called risky," April 25, 2012