Michigan voters rejected Proposal 3 on Tuesday. The proposal would’ve required utilities to get 25 percent of their electricity sales from renewable sources by the year 2025. It was controversial partly because it would’ve amended the state constitution.
Howard Edelson is the campaign manager for CARE for Michigan. The group worked to defeat the proposal on behalf of the state’s utilities.
“It just goes to show that Michigan voters didn’t want out-of-state special interests, billionaires from out of state, trying to hijack our constitution and put a costly energy mandate in the constitution.”
He says the state’s current renewable standard is working. Utilities have to meet a 10 percent standard by 2015.
But Mark Fisk argues we’re falling behind other states that have higher standards. He’s the spokesperson for Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs. It’s the group that backed the proposal.
“It’s very important that we not lose these jobs to other states and other countries. We believe Michigan should be a leader in renewable energy and we’re going to keep fighting until we make that happen.”
Fisk would not rule out the possibility of another ballot proposal in the future.
