LANSING – Support for Michigan Proposal 2006-5, which would provide inflationary increases for education, has slipped below 50 percent, according to a poll released Friday.
The poll, by Lansing-based EPIC/MRA, pegged support for the initiated legislation at 43 percent, while 40 percent were opposed. That represents a steep drop from a September poll by Selzer & Company that showed 64 percent of voters supporting the proposal. A June poll by EPIC/MRA showed 63 percent support for the plan.
The Stop K-16 Coalition, the committee opposing the ballot proposal, saw the poll as a good sign.
“Voters are clearly starting to understand the cost and the consequences of Proposal 5,” said Arnold Weinfeld, director of public policy and federal affairs for the Michigan Municipal League. “The extraordinary cost of proposal 5 – $500-700 million in the first year alone – means devastating cuts to local governments, police, and health care to the current state budget. If Proposal 5 passes, the governor will be forced to make cuts in state and local services 10 days after the vote is certified. This is a disaster waiting to happen.”
But supporters said it shows the need to again clarify the issue for voters. “There’s no doubt the opposition’s been on the radio for about 10 days hammering away and confusing voters,” said Ken MacGregor, spokesperson for the K-16 Coalition for Michigan’s Future, which is supporting the plan. “We intend to answer back.”
MacGregor said his coalition began running new radio ads Friday and would be back with more television spots next week. “How much we can answer back is all a function of funding,” he said.
The opposition group has yet to have television spots, though officials with the group have indicated such spots are in the works.
The poll, conducted October 22-25 of 600 people, had a margin of error of 4 percent.
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