Michigan Proposal M, Transportation Funding and State Transportation Commission Amendment (1978)

Michigan Proposal M
Election date November 7, 1978
Topic Administrative organization and Highways and bridges
Status Approved
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Michigan Proposal M was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Michigan on November 7, 1978. It was approved.

A “yes” vote supported requiring at least 90% of the gas and license tax revenue be used for road purposes, amending other provisions relating to transportation funding, and replacing the State Highway Commission with the State Transportation Commission.

A “no” vote opposed requiring at least 90% of the gas and license tax revenue be used for road purposes, amending other provisions relating to transportation funding, and replacing the State Highway Commission with the State Transportation Commission.

Election results

Michigan Proposal M
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		1,478,316	54.52%
No		1,233,196	45.48%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposal M was as follows:

“

PROPOSAL M PROPOSAL TO ALLOCATE AT LEAST 90% OF GAS TAX REVENUES FOR GENERAL ROAD PURPOSES AND THE REMAINDER FOR OTHER TRANSPORTATION PURPOSES AND TO REPLACE STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION WITH A TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION. THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD: Provide that at least 90% of gas and license tax revenue be used exclusively for general road purposes. Provide that remainder of gas and license tax revenue and not to exceed 25% of sales tax on cars and parts be used exclusively for other transportation purposes. Limit bonding for roads, streets, bridges and other transportation purposes to amounts to be derived from specific motor vehicle tax and sales tax revenues. Replace State Highway Commission with a nonpartisan State Transportation Commission which shall establish a state transportation policy. Should this amendment be adopted? YES NO

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Michigan Constitution

A two-thirds vote is required during one legislative session for the Michigan State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 74 votes in the Michigan House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Michigan State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

See also

1978 Measures

• 1978 Measures
• Transportation taxes and fees on the ballot
• Administrative organization on the ballot
• Highways and bridges on the ballot
• Revenue allocation on the ballot
• 1978 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