Michigan's 6 ballot proposals: Proposal 6 - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI

(11/02/12) - Voters in Michigan are being asked to consider six ballot proposals on election day. The week up to the election we've given viewers an unbiased look at each proposal.

Last but not least, Proposal 6. Michigan has entered into an agreement with Canada to build a second bridge crossing connecting Detroit to Windsor.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said tax payer money won't be used to pay for the bridge, rather Canadian investors are putting up the money.

The current bridge, the Ambassador Bridge, is owned by a private citizen, Matty Moroun who opposes a second bridge. He's spent millions of dollars of his own money on the "People Should Decide Campaign."

"It's a very unique proposal cause it really geared towards one public infrastructure project and while you can wrap it up with let the people decide, there's a logic to say if we wanted to vote on every single bridge or every single road project that government would grind to a halt," said Dr. Marcus Paroske.

If Proposal 6 passes, it would require voter approval state wide and in each community where an international bridge or tunnel would be built. It also would create a definition of new international bridges or tunnels for motor vehicles that's not open to the public as of this year.

"The proposal only applies to bridges that go to international crossings so for example Flint couldn't do it, but if Port Huron wanted to do then this proposal would apply to that. It's designed specifically to delay or kill the new bridge that Governor Snyder and the nation of Canada had negotiated."

Paroske said there's a variety of ways voters can get informed before you cast your vote. He suggests, looking beyond the ads, often times they're only telling half of the story. It's also important to read the ballot language and log onto non partisan sites to understand what the implications are on each proposal.

"Amending the constitution is a significant step and not one to be taken likely. Oddly enough the ballot proposal process that's most open to citizens all you need is some petitions and some signatures and you can get the constitution amended in a way that you have to be an elected representative to change the laws. It's both the most permanent kind of change but also one of the ones easiest for rank and file people to pull off and I think that's why you saw so many this time and probably a lot more in the future as well."

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 6.