If passed, a ballot proposal meant to stall a new international bridge in Detroit could cost Michigan taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. That’s according to a report from the Senate Fiscal Agency.
Proposal Six would require a public vote on any new international bridge or tunnel. The report says it would cost the state nearly $10.5 million to hold a special election on a new crossing.
On top of that, researchers say tens of millions of dollars in infrastructure funding could also be in jeopardy. The Citizens Research Council of Michigan says the initiative could potentially apply to any new bridge or tunnel around the state, not just international crossings.
The report says that interpretation could threaten funding for many projects, including more than 80-million dollars this fiscal year.
Proposal Six was introduced by the owner of Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge. It’s a response to a plan to build a new crossing two miles south, which would be funded by the Canadian government.