LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A bulk mailer from the Lansing Metropolis Constitution Fee has resulted in a Lansing councilmember submitting a proper marketing campaign finance violation grievance.
First Ward Councilman Ryan Kost, who’s at the moment president of the legislative physique of town, filed with the Michigan Secretary of State Tuesday, claiming the mailer was “not just informational but persuasive in supporting a yes vote.”
Municipalities are allowed beneath Michigan legislation to offer purely factual info to voters on “issues related to the function of the public body.”
A taxpayer funded mailer from the Lansing Metropolis Constitution Fee has resulted in a proper marketing campaign finance grievance to state election officers. (WLNS) 
A taxpayer funded mailer from the Lansing Metropolis Constitution Fee has resulted in a proper marketing campaign finance grievance to state election officers. (WLNS)
The mailer payments itself as an informational flyer, itemizing the proposed modifications to town constitution that will probably be on the November poll. The flyer mentions issues resembling increasing town council, having a four-year election cycle, and growing “transparency” in metropolis authorities. A QR code on the mailer, when scanned, hyperlinks to an expanded webpage in regards to the proposed metropolis constitution modifications.
Nonetheless, Kost says he finds the language on the mailer to be persuasive in nature.
“It is very easy to decipher that when you read through this,” Kost says.
He says a voter reviewing the mailer might stroll away with a push in the direction of voting in favor of the proposed new constitution.
“Well, I like government transparency, and I like accountability, I should vote ‘yes,'” Kost says of the influence of the mailer. “That is my concern: Public dollars — your tax dollars — persuading you to vote ‘yes’ on something. I don’t care if it was to persuade people to vote ‘yes’ or vote ‘no,’ this is the kind of political nonsense people are talking about, and I am tired of seeing it.”
Constitution Fee Chairman Brian Jeffries disagrees with the declare the mailer was something however informational.
Learn the Criticism
kost grievance redactedDownload
He issued the next assertion:
“The Constitution Fee disagrees with the declare that our latest instructional mailer was ‘persuasive’ in any means. This piece was rigorously developed to offer factual, correct info to residents in regards to the proposal, its background, and its potential influence on our neighborhood.
“Earlier than distribution, the mailer was completely reviewed and permitted by the fee’s authorized counsel to make sure full compliance with state legislation. The content material is strictly instructional in nature and clearly doesn’t advocate for or in opposition to the proposal. It gives voters with goal info to allow them to make their very own knowledgeable selections.
“It’s disappointing that some have chosen to mischaracterize this effort and try to confuse an in any other case simple and clear course of. The fee stays assured that we now have acted responsibly in protecting the neighborhood knowledgeable.
“We, of course, continue to welcome any recommendations to improve transparency and clarity when communicating with the public.”
The mailer was despatched to 21,080 Lansing households and value taxpayers $6,116.03 to print and mail, Lansing Metropolis Clerk Chris Swope tells 6 Information. It was developed by a public relations agency employed by the Constitution Fee, and the language used was reviewed by an legal professional retained by the fee, Swope says.
Throughout Monday’s Metropolis Council assembly, Fourth Ward Councilman Brian Jackson held up the mailer and expressed concern that the outsized postcard was persuasive fairly than informational.
Kost tells 6 Information he expects different metropolis council members will probably be submitting complaints as nicely.
Lansing voters chosen the 9 commissioners within the Could 2024 particular election. The commissioners have been assembly usually to evaluation the constitution and undertake modifications for the voters to just accept or reject. Voters may have their say on Nov. 4.
