The Michigan Education Justice Coalition (MEJC) says it has filed petition language for a ballot proposal that would create a 5 percent income tax surcharge on individuals who make $500,000 a year or more with the proceeds going to public education.
The group’s goal is to be in the field, collecting 600,000 signatures by July 1. A minimum of roughly 422,000 valid signatures is needed to make the November 2026 ballot, and MEJC Director Rachelle Crow-Hercher reports they will not be paying for circulators to make that goal.
Crow-Hercher reported that they researched a variety of fund-raising options, including a graduated income tax and repealing the state income tax, but discovered a slight majority favored imposing the surcharge on those individuals earning $500,000 and couples earning $1 million a year.
The petition language says the $1.7 billion to be raised by this surcharge should be earmarked for the School Aid Fund. She concedes that some are concerned that lawmakers will just shift the $1.7 billion now in the fund into other state programs if the voters approve the proposal.
“The money interests in Michigan think they should not have to contribute fairly to the infrastructure that makes the state prosperous and successful,” she said. ” I disagree with that.”
Crow-Hercher reported she has reached out to various groups in the K-12 education lobby to ask them to join the effort. The Michigan Education Association is one of those groups, and she indicated the teachers union has not signed off on the drive at this juncture.
“I will let the legislators know that our community members are very adamant that this is an addition to the existing revenue streams to grow the pie.”
But she admits the petition language does not mandate the lawmakers do this. “If there are legal ways to do that, I’m willing to explore that,” she told MIRS.
Jase Bolger, president and CEO of the West Michigan Policy Forum, responded with a statement that “throwing more money at systems won’t fix the individual challenges of Michigan’s students.”
“Way too many kids in Michigan can’t read, but it’s clear these adults can’t do simple math. Today in Michigan, the more you make the more you pay,” Bolger said. “But worse is that this proposal would drive Michigan further in the wrong direction. While states that are growing are overwhelmingly cutting taxes on work, or don’t tax work at all, this would double down on Michigan’s lagging policies that have led to the fastest growing unemployment rate in the country.”
Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
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