Michigan Proposal A, School Funding and Elderly Property Tax Break Initiative (1980)

Michigan Proposal A
Election date November 4, 1980
Topic Homestead tax exemptions and Property tax exemptions
Status Defeated
Type Initiated constitutional amendment	Origin Citizens

Michigan Proposal A was on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment in Michigan on November 4, 1980. It was defeated.

A “yes” vote supported revising provisions relating to school funding and establishing a property tax break for those 65 and older.

A “no” vote opposed revising provisions relating to school funding and establishing a property tax break for those 65 and older.

Election results

Michigan Proposal A
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		746,027	21.22%
No		2,769,497	78.78%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposal A was as follows:

“

PROPOSAL A PROPOSAL TO MAKE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS RESPONSIBLE FOR SCHOOL PERSONNEL AND PROGRAMS, TO REDUCE LOCAL PROPERTY TAX MAXIMUMS FOR OPERATIONAL PURPOSES, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR SENIOR RETIREES, AND REQUIRE THE STATE TO RAISE REVENUES NECESSARY FOR EQUAL PER-PUPIL FUNDING OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The proposed amendment would: Make local school boards responsible for school personnel and programs. Reduce current maximum property tax for county, township and educational operations from 50 to 24.5 mills and allocate millage. Allow state 30.5 mill school property tax on non-homesteads. Eliminate property taxes on $25,000.00 of home assessments of retirees 65 and older. Require general state taxation for equal per-pupil school financing at highest state support level. Limit local school tax to 7 mills· or 1% income tax by vote of electors. Exclude additional school financing from other revenue and spending limits of constitution and require millage reduction by class. Should this amendment be adopted? YES NO

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Michigan

An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. Eighteen (18) states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments.

In Michigan, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 10% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.

See also

1980 Measures

• 1980 Measures
• Public education funding on the ballot
• Property taxes on the ballot
• Homestead tax exemptions on the ballot
• Public education governance on the ballot
• Property tax exemptions on the ballot
• Revenue and spending limits on the ballot
• 1980 legislative sessions

Michigan

• Michigan ballot measures
• Michigan ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Michigan Department of State, "Initiatives and Referendums Under the Constitution of the State of Michigan of 1963," December 5, 2008