The Detroit News yesterday questioned the Reform Michigan Now ballot committee for refusing to come forward with the groups sponsoring its proposition. A PowerPoint presentation on a union website suggests who these backers are- the Michigan Dem Party and organized labor. A spokesman for Reform Michigan Now stated its financial backers would be revealed in August, or only when legally required.

From the Detroit News:

To date, backers of the effort and Democratic Party leaders have refused to say who wrote the controversial proposal and who is bankrolling it [though p]arts of the plan definitely favor Democrats over Republicans.
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“To the extent that this document is what it appears to be, it leaves little doubt that the (ballot proposal) is a partisan power play,” according to Paul Kersey, director of labor policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a Midland-based free-market oriented think tank that found the PowerPoint presentation on UAW Region 1-C Web site. The presentation, whose title page says “Changing the rules of politics in Michigan to help Democrats,” is no longer on the Web site.
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“Transparency of who is leading the effort is important for voters, which is not publicly known right now,” Richard Blouse Jr., president and CEO of the Detroit chamber, said in a press release. “The business community certainly recognizes the need for reforms in state government, especially when it comes to solving the problems of chronic budget deficits. However, it’s important to be up front about these reforms so they can be fully vetted through open debate.”

Call me crazy, but shouldn’t transparency be part of any real reform measure? If this proposal is really about smaller, smarter government, give us full, factual information on who is crafting and sponsoring it and let the results benefit TAXPAYERS, not the Democrat Party.

See more on Reform Michigan Now here and here.

Category: Transparency Legislation