This proposal is a scam on voters in Michigan perpetrated by Manny Maroun to make sure he continues to corner the market on bridge revenue and we have to continue sitting in long lines at the bridge. I don't agree with Snyder on ANYTHING but in this case he's absolutely right. I sure hope voters in Michigan don't fall for the scam.

Of course we should have the say on a new bridge. I'm more than a little tired of this Republican House in Michigan seeming to run over us with what THEY want instead of asking us what we want. They seem to forget the work for us. I don't much care what Mannie Moroun wants but when they tell me it won't cost us a dime, I find that very hard to believe. You know what they say. When in doubt, DON'T.

bitsy08 - this isn't a Republican issue.... it's a state of Michigan and government of Canada issue. And Canada feels strongly enough about it that they are willing to front the money for construction of it. A better bridge, south of the city of Detroit and Windsor, makes sense for both Michigan and Canadian trade, and is way better for traffic flow on both sides. This is all about Maroun wanting to maintain his monopoly. Pure and simple. Not what is good for Michigan and Canada.

No one seems to be talking about tunnels. Why should be force people in Del Ray, who already have it bad enough with all of the refineries around them, to move so we can send more semi trucks over a new bridge? The new bridge will not be meant for cars as much as it will be meant for semi trucks. One train can carry as much as 100-200 semi trucks. The problem with our train tunnel is that it is only 1 car high. Therefore, there is a lot of unstacking and re-stacking on both sides making the process slower and seem much more inefficient when compared to trucks. I think the people in the state absolutely should have a voice in any project, however, sometimes the government does have to do things that are unwanted in the name of the greater good, like tearing up and repaving Main Street during the summer.

I'm in line with Maureen! Don't think for one minute that multi-multi millionaire Moroun would dig into his own deep pocket to fund the state-wide ads to kill the bridge and erect another one of his own if it wasn't an ultra lucrative venture. I have no love for other things that Snyder has done but this is a money-maker for the state which will be paid for by the Canadian Government. After I heard that the UAW has aligned with Moroun I have changed my mind about voting for Proposal 2, Right to Collective Bargaining.

The official ballot text reads as follows:

A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF INTERNATIONAL BRIDGES AND TUNNELS

This proposal would:

• Require the approval of a majority of voters at a statewide election and in each municipality where “new international bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles” are to be located before the State of Michigan may expend state funds or resources for acquiring land, designing, soliciting bids for, constructing, financing, or promoting new international bridges or tunnels.

• Create a definition of "new international bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles" that means, "any bridge or tunnel which is not open to the public and serving traffic as of January 1, 2012."

Should this proposal be approved? YES ... NO...

In a press release published in September 2012, Gov. Snyder said, "While the proposal is intended to protect one company's monopoly on truck crossings between Detroit and Canada, it was sloppily written and jeopardizes ANY bridge under construction today that won't be completed by January 1, 2012, or any bridge built thereafter."

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Michigan_International_Bridge_Initiative,_Proposal_6_%282012%29

Maroun thought his campaign contributions would stop a new bridge. He must be making incredible money based on what he has spent on this

It's hard to trust him since he doesn't follow court orders and had to be imprisoned under contempt of court to get him to follow them. He's not much of a steward of a public necessity.

A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION......
Vote NO on ballot proposals 2-6 as the language of each would become part of the STATE CONSTITUTION and that is NOT good.

Manuel Moroun & family Net Worth $1.5 Billion As of March 2012
http://www.forbes.com/profile/manuel-moroun/

Wish Manuel Moroun would save the Michigan Central Station, which he's owned since 1996. note: Why should we reward Detroit property owners with new projects when they can't maintain the property they already have?

Matty Moroun only wants to keep his monopoly. The new bridge will be a draw for more commercial traffic from the Canada Atlantic Gateway. Moroun says he wants to build a second bridge parallel to his Ambassador, but don't hold your breath. Windsor doesn't want his bridge since it would empty onto surface streets and cause more traffic problems. He tried to screw the state on the Gateway project, so he can't ever be trusted. He's financing all the anti bridge commercials, so he must be anticipating more profits for himself, not benefits for Michigan.

This proposal is to amend the constitution to obtain approval for any new international bridge or tunnel. Matty Maroun wants to AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION so he can get his way. Ridiculous, right? We need the bridge. The only purpose of this proposal is to maintain the monopoly of a rich old man. If it passes, we will be hamstrung in perpetuity. Vote no and just build the bridge.

I'll be voting no on this one, despite the glossy, well-financed "Let the People Decide" brochures. Infrastructure should be owned by the people, no matter how it's financed. Mr. Maroun's monopoly will be over soon.

The Canadians are proceeding with construction regardless of whether this proposal passes. He is not well liked in Canada either.

Proposals should not be allowed on the ballot at all.
People are stupid and easily manipulated to be trusted to vote.

The money from Canada is a loan to MI to be recovered from future tolls, kind of like the mighty Mackinac Bridge that was unable to meet their loan obligations and the legislature was forced to vote to cover the cost - which means the taxpayers paid. Nothing the government ever does is efficient - and besides, just where does the government get their money? From the TAXPAYERS! Where is the money going to come from to pay off the Delray residents so the state can take their property under eminent domain? At an average of &7,000.00 per house for say 500 houses = $3,500,000. Who is paying this cost? The government, ie: TAXPAYERS! Where are the people who live in these houses going to find housing for $7,000? Plus the neighborhood developement groups (community organizers) are attempting to shake down MI for millions of dollars to gain their cooperation! I attended a hearing in Lansing ans saw this in action! Don't believe for a single second that taxpayers won't be left on the hook! FYI: There are real time cameras installed at the Ambassador Bridge and except for a short time during morning and evening rush hours - there is rarely any hold up other than not enough border agents - which is the governments responsibility - not the bridge owner! Open your eyes people - private ownership is not the evil that Oblamo and company claim.

This guy has made a fortune screwing people over which is what he's trying to do with this proposal.

Here is a quick history, (cause I was tired of half truths) Sever attempts were nade after civil war to build a bridge, basically with the fed's.including the Detroit board of commerce. it went from a J W Austin, to a J A Bower, who did the leg work,MAYOR J Smith,R. 24-28, only person to rebuke it. (stock crashed) WARREN BUFFET bought a 25% stake in the bridge, which sparked the interest of M Maroun, who eventually bought out W Buf. Maroun owned Central Trucking, and ???, J A Bo0wer retired in'59......... so it appears that this M M guy did what any other american could of done.............. I don't begrudge him that...... just like I don't blame fpr what I had or didn't have growing up........... if he can build it, and trually no cost to the tax payer.......... not a half truth.... like "the bridge" which was the part "just" across the water. I say do it...... be nice if the gov would rebuild the Train tunnel, so it can take more then one auto high.......... like the P H tunnel can

don't blame my parents.......... I was in a hurry......... sorry.

Marcia - Where were you when Engler & the Repubs were happy to change the MI
constitution for their own interests ????

In the constitution? LOL... uhhh. NO.

Ok you pack of panhandling do nothing legislators.... We're ready for your next stupid question.

Who are the idiots that really think this Prop will somehow channel money to these other worthy causes ? This Prop is a scam and the advertisements in support are choc full of half-truths, double-speak and innuendo. Its about the owner, a billionaire doner to right wing causes, keeping his monopoly on a critical transportation link, its also about the tools in our legislature who have no balls and do whatever the owner of the present bridge says to do.

Btw, the Canadians do not want a second span built along side the current one and have stopped this from happening. If anyone reading this has been to see the area that Windsor does not want taken down, they'd understand, for the rest of you guys, its a gentrified neighborhood adjacent to the Univ. of Windsor, with decent housing, apartments, victorian and different styles of single family homes, safe neighborhoods, parks and stability. Pfft.

A good video, with real facts, about the New International Trade Crossing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuQj5yf4gVA

I am voting NO on prop.6

Windsor, simply does not want any more truck traffic, down town.

Though I disagree time to time with Jack Lessenberry, Metro Times http://metrotimes.com/columns/those-ballot-props-1.1382150?pgno=1 -- he brings up some good points worth sharing. -- vote NO!

Proposal 6: International Bridges and Tunnels. VOTE NO. Megalomanic Moroun spent almost $5 million to deceive enough voters into signing petitions to support this obscene turkey of an amendment. Basically, it says that there has to be a statewide election before the state could spend a penny for "designing, soliciting bids for, constructing, financing or promoting new international bridges and tunnels." Plus it would apply ex post facto to any bridge not open as of last January. The whole point is to prevent anything from ever threatening the 85-year-old billionaire's monopoly.

Never mind that this would doom the rest of the state to economic paralysis. I doubt that there has ever been a citizen who has had a more malignant effect on this state than Matty Moroun.

More importantly, this amendment would be bad for everyone except one man, his wife and his son. The price of freedom is, indeed, eternal vigilance. That's why studying these amendments, voting on them, and stopping attempts to steal our lives is so damn important." by Jack Lessenberry

We need a law on the books that would have the effect of mandating advertisers, the media and political action groups / political parties work to express the truth! this has the effect of taking out talking points, half truths and innuendo from our political process. These topics are too important to be dragged through mud and misunderstood. Of course, I would be labeled a socialist / communist, but whatever, those assholes who continue to think its a right to mislead will get over themselves.

The NITC project is not the solution to fix Michigan's economy but it is a piece to the puzzle. The train tunnel under the river for double stacked trains is another piece. Both of these pieces are in jeopardy if proposal 6 passes. An air freight hub at willow run is another piece. A world class deep water port on the Detroit river. All of the industry in Michigan which if you don't know is a peninsula might as well be an island with our industrial products subject to if we can move them into a world market. The ports are not located in Detroit they are on the east cost and the west coast. The responsibility of government is to give our state the ability to compete in a global market and keep our state prosperous. Proposal 6 has the potential of destroying the economy of Michigan as it will forever restrict the state from providing the infrastructure required to allow our people to compete globally. November 6th we as a state are making a decision which we will be forced to live with forever with the consequences of which will forever subject the people of this state to the whims of the most litigious lawsuit slinging slum lord that has destroyed every community he has invested in through blockbusting and attrition.

I am certain this family will jump with glee when all the industry is driven from Michigan to the Buffalo corridor and he can justify building the bridge he is trying to build there. Too bad Michigan, how stupid we will look if we allow this to happen. Look it up (Ambassador Niagara) on hold until Michigan destroys itself with proposal 6.

Drive through Delray and see what 10000 trucks and 7000 cars a day dumping down fort street for an additional 6 years past the agreed upon 2 years that Maroun agreed to. Delray is destroyed as if by design. Drive through Delray Matty you can be proud of your destruction. Do you wring your hands and jump with joy as you destroy the very fabric of a community and rob the people of their quality of life just so you and yours can live better. Well you are 84 headed for what. To be the most hated family in the history of Detroit. Good job you succeeded.

A few corrections, The bridge was offered to CofDet to build they turned it down, back in the 20's, the crash came, PRIVATE enterprises came, built it, a Smith guy was bought out by a I CON, who then sold out to Maroun, any state, or individual could of done the same.

Del Ray, .... has two steel mills, go to any steel mill town, and see what it looks like.Burns Harbor, Indy Harbor, Middle Town OHIO, just two miles off of 75, mid way between dayton. and Cinn., most of you don't even know it is there.

Del Ray, Great lakes steel, Cement plants (pluro from the past) stone ports, salt co's, more then the salt mines, they have the YOUR WATER plant, ware house district. Marathon OIL, all surrounding, the Rouge river, and the CUT that ford dug out so ships can move straight in to fords factory and steel mill............. so don't blame a conspiracy on private people, that whole corridor, is was for the processes we didn't want in our back yard. Slaughter houses, constant running of refridg. trucks at produce ware houses............... ir goes on and on.

add to the above the INFAMOUS ZUG island, oh not to mention all the miles of rail and rails switching yards . the tunnel to Canada, which some unwanted's come and go, I am told, there is a reason why that area is heavy into Hispanic populations, it is void of any CODE enforcement, etc, so it is live and let live........ this Maroun guy didn't create this area it was there b4 him.
why aren't ppl all over Illitch? he gets things done b4 you know it, out of your sight? or the Ford's, It seems this Marty guy provides as many jobs to us as Ford does in Michigan......... It is hard to find the History of the Ambas bridge but it is there....... dig deep

The lady says traffic backed up on the week end.......... truck traffic is way down, no lines any more.
The adgents for the border patrol etc. can have a slow down any time, that does not mean work slower, but more thoroughly with more questions searches etc.

Does not mean there is more TRAFFIC, I knew a canadian who worked over here his whole life, 6 some times 7 days a week he would traverse, some times he would be running other times he was already thru his breakfast, "they must be looking for a crook" they were asking 50 questions........... most of the time I get waved right thru, that was back in the 60's so back ups are most times for cars, Man made.....not indicative of monstrous traffic...... just a mind jogger

http://rochester.patch.com/blog_posts/my-two-cents-f7d84694

My Two Cents -- Posted on November 3, 2012 at 10:17pm

Proposal 6: "International Bridges and Tunnels. VOTE NO. Megalomanic Moroun spent almost $5 million to deceive enough voters into signing petitions to support this obscene turkey of an amendment. Basically, it says that there has to be a statewide election before the state could spend a penny for 'designing, soliciting bids for, constructing, financing or promoting new international bridges and tunnels.' Plus it would apply ex post facto to any bridge not open as of last January. The whole point is to prevent anything from ever threatening the 85-year-old billionaire's monopoly. This amendment would be bad for everyone except one man, his wife and his son. The price of freedom is, indeed, eternal vigilance." Jack Lessenberry -- Jack I'm with you 100%.

Vote no on 6.
Maroun could buy off the state reps easy enough to block passage while Granholm was gov, but Snyder is looking out for the State of Michigan, and Marty can't buy his decision away like he did others in the past. Common sense tells us that trade with Canada is a good thing, and a new bridge downriver will do exactly that, increase trade and business in Michigan, and bring new jobs along with it. Why not add a rail line to the new bridge as well.? Snyder was brave enough to say it won't cost Michigan money, let's see him keep that promise. Of course, Obama made promises too, but at least Snyder has gotten Michigan on the right economic track, from billions in debt to a surplus, from a mess of SBT to something that attracts businesses and jobs to MI again. Snyder is a businessman, Obama was not. Result? USA trillions in debt. What is Romney? Many things to many folk, but all agree he is smart in business. He will figure out a way to make sure Canada pays for everything.....

I decided to vote no on this a long time ago, and am getting sick of the increasingly preoposterous mailings for this proposal, as well as the aimed-to-fool "survey" phone call ("What?!!, You're against people's choice?").

Don't be fooled, Vote NO on Proposal 6 tomorrow.

I had thought Canada was paying for all of the bridge? I can't support Michigan taxpayers forking out $550 million...we pay enough in taxes and we will not see a penny of that money back in our pockets. I was going to support the bridge but now,it looks like I'm going against it. Looks like I'm going to need more information but if we are expected to pay for this, I will not support our taxes going up...they're bad enough as it is and our people cannot take anymore.

Cindy: The League of Women Voters of Michigan has presented pro- and con- arguments for each state ballot proposal here: http://www.lwvmi.org/documents/LWVMIProCon11-12.pdf

Read up and make an informed decision, whichever way you vote!