Vote NO on Proposal 2

Grassroots Activists Form Protecting Michigan Taxpayers

LANSING, MI – Grassroots activists today launched Protecting Michigan Taxpayers (www.ProtectingMichiganTaxpayers.com) - a ballot question committee that opposes an attempt by Washington, D.C., union bosses to enshrine their political agenda in the state constitution at the expense of Michigan taxpayers. The group's inaugural two-week, $1 million ad campaign will define what the Union Boss Ballot Initiative means for Michigan families and small business owners.

"Michigan has been moving forward and rebuilding, but this attempt by union bosses to hijack our constitution will jeopardize the progress we've made," said Jared Rodriguez, President of Protecting Michigan Taxpayers. "The Union Boss Ballot Initiative is a sweetheart deal for government workers that the rest of us have to pay for. With our economy beginning to turn around, we believe Michigan voters will unite to oppose this taxpayer-funded handout for union bosses. Our focus should be on moving Michigan forward, allowing small businesses to grow and create jobs, and keeping our sons and daughters here in Michigan."

If passed, the Union Boss Ballot Initiative would enshrine special interest benefits for Washington, D.C., union bosses into the Michigan Constitution. The impact on Michiganders would be devastating.

The broad language of the proposed constitutional amendment will reverse as many as 80 state laws, including some that have fueled and continue to support Michigan's economic comeback. As an example, the Union Boss Ballot Initiative would effectively gut the Teacher Tenure Act, making it nearly impossible to remove bad teachers from our schools and making Michigan's education system less competitive.

Moreover, taxpayers would face higher taxes in order to pay for higher pensions and benefits for government employees - even during tough economic times.

The TV and radio campaign will run statewide. The 30-second television begins running on August 17 and the 60-second radio ad will first run on August 21. Click here to view the TV ad.

To learn more, please visit www.ProtectingMichiganTaxpayers.com. You can also follow us on Twitter at @protectmichigan.

– TV Transcript –

Announcer:
Michigan's making progress.
But Washington union bosses are trying to stop it by tinkering with our state constitution.
Why? Higher pensions and benefits for governemnt employees – forever. In good times or bad.
Sweetheart deals for special interests enshrined in the constitution.
And who pays for it? The rest of us.
The middle class pays more. Government elites get more.
It's not the Michigan way.
This November, vote NO on the Union Boss Ballot initiative.

Protecting Michigan Taxpayers is a watchdog organization that aims to keep Michigan moving forward by ensuring fairness for our state's taxpayers. Only by defeating the Union Boss Ballot Initiative can the state continue to create jobs, maintain lower taxes and keep more of our sons and daughters working at home in Michigan. To learn more about Protecting Michigan Taxpayers and defeating the Union Boss Ballot Initiative, please visit www.ProtectingMichiganTaxpayers.com.

Contact: Brittany Gross
(517) 827-5554