Michigan canvassers deadlock on revised summary for "Invest in My Kids"; approve petition form

Lansing — The Michigan Board of State Canvassers on July 18 failed to approve a proposed revision to the 100‑word summary for the Invest in My Kids ballot initiative after hours of public comment and legal briefing, but the board approved the petition’s form and the procedural manuals the Bureau of Elections uses for circulating petitions.

The deadlocked vote came after more than two hours of public testimony from education advocates, chambers of commerce and business groups, and attorneys on both sides. Vice Chair Gerwitz moved to adopt a revised summary that would have added a reference to business income that is taxed at the individual level and clarified how revenue must be used; Member Cummings seconded. The motion failed on a 2‑2 roll call: Gerwitz and Cummings voted yes; Member Cordes and Chair Hauskamp voted no.

Board members and attorneys had argued at length about three recurring topics: whether the 5% surcharge described in the petition ought to be characterized in the summary as creating a combined top rate of 9.25% (4.25% plus a 5% surcharge), whether the summary should call the measure a "graduated income tax," and whether the summary should list the specific school spending items that appear in the proposed constitutional text. Supporters of the change urged the board to add wording making clear that the additional tax would apply to individual taxable income including business income reported on individual returns; opponents and board members cautioned against adding language they said could be speculative or legally imprecise.

Why it matters: The 100‑word summary…