Detroit News – April 29th, 2015
“Foes beat pavement, fight Snyder on Prop 1“

Paul Wilk says he doesn’t get passionate about much, but higher taxes and Proposal 1 rev him up.

Wilk is one of hundreds of volunteers among Proposal 1 opponents who are using old-fashioned, door-to-door politicking in neighborhoods, along with sporadic television ads and radio spots, to oppose the statewide ballot proposal that would raise $1.2 billion extra annually [after 2 years! –CTM] for roads and bridges. The 58-year-old Allen Park resident is so determined to defeat the measure that would raise the sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent that he has for months been leaving glossy Vote No placards on doorsteps — and occasionally engaging likely voters. […]

On his route on Allen Park’s Robinson Street recently, Wilk stopped at the home of Betty Lovely, 86, who was outside washing her windows. He told Lovely he was “pushing for a no vote.”

“I am, too,” Lovely said, adding that she’s tired of seeing her taxes go up and not getting anything in return. “I’m thoroughly disgusted. I was going to vote for it at first. … Then I thought: If you buy a car, you know, what are the taxes going to be?”

Wilk smiled. “I know,” he said.

What a great story about the hard work so many concerned taxpayers are contributing all over Michigan to defend our prosperity.

Contrast that with the latest tactics employed by the opposition, reported by Michigan Radio:

Proposal 1 backers use a school bus to educate voters about sales tax ballot question

Union supporters will spend part of this week towing a school bus around the state. You’ll know it if you see it. It’s the one with a massive concrete block crushing its windshield.

It’s an arresting image, even if it’s a manufactured one. National union groups made the school bus prop in order to dramatize the need for more federal and state spending to repair and replace aging roads and bridges.

“This really highlights the need to have safe roads that transport our school children, for folks to be able to get to work safely,” says Jonathan Byrd, the legislative director with the Michigan Laborers union.

[Image: Paul Wilk educates voters on Prop 1, while labor union activists display a destroyed bus to scare voters into accepting the proposal. Enable images in your email to view the image.]

You couldn’t find a more vivid juxtaposition to show the contrast between the character of the grassroots citizens working to defeat Proposal 1 through shoe-leather work reaching voters, and the national union groups joining the “Vote Yes or Else” campaign in using manufactured images to frighten voters into thinking they have an obligation to raise taxes just to have safe roads.

But this shows that we are up against those willing to use any tool of deception to trick voters into voting for the tax hike scheme on on May 5.

And they have the money to reach a lot of voters.

Our side is being outspent almost 60 to 1.

Randy, we’re almost to our $3000 goal to be able to reach hundreds of thousands of Michigan voters and remind them to vote on May 5.

We’ve done far better than expected by organizing volunteers across Michigan, making our points in the media, and exposing the false choice being presented by the other side.

But we must maximize turnout on May 5.

Randy, please make a contribution, today, for our final Get Out the Vote phone program.

For ourselves, our families, and all of our volunteers fighting to keep taxes in Michigan from going even higher, let’s make certain that we can get every vote on May 5th.

A little or a lot, it will go a very long way.

We have secured a Get Out the Vote phone system that will reach Michigan voters for an amazing 1.5 cents per one-minute call.

We can reach an enormous number of voters affordably at that rate.

Please click here to chip in today to make this final effort possible.

If we can raise an additional $3000 this week we can reach every targeted voter in Michigan just before Election Day.  We’re 2/3 there.

Please make a contribution, right now, to put us over the top on Election Day.

Click here to donate $30– 1% of the total goal.

Click here to donate $100– 3.3% of the total goal.

We must do all we can for maximum turnout on Tuesday May 5.

Thanks for all you do for prosperity in Michigan,

Adam de Angeli
Executive Director