Appeals Court Shoots Down Casino Ballot Proposal
LANSING (WWJ/AP) - The state appeals court has sided with a group opposing the expansion of casino gambling in Michigan and ordered that a petition allowing new casinos not go before voters.
The court ordered the Secretary of State on Tuesday to reject the Citizens for More Michigan Jobs' petition and keep it off the November general election ballot.
Citizens for More Michigan Jobs turned in 509,777 petition signatures to the Bureau of Elections seeking a constitutional amendment proposal that would allow for a fourth casino in Detroit and seven others across the state.
The committee's spokesperson said the new casinos would help boost the local economy, creating an estimated 16,000 new jobs.
A lawsuit by another group, Protect MI Vote, said the ballot question is illegal because it would change the Michigan Constitution and state law.
The appeals court says that "in some respects" the proposal "directly contradicts provisions of the Gaming Act."
Opponents of casino expansion are American Indian tribes and current casino owners. Others speaking out against the plan said our state has enough casinos, and struggling residents have better things to do with their money.
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