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Legalization campaign falls behind fundraising of anti-marijuana group
Posted Oct 26 2018
By Amy Biolchini
A group formed to oppose marijuana legalization in Michigan has drawn twice the donations than the campaign supporting the ballot proposal in the last three months.
The opposition group -- Healthy and Productive Michigan -- collected more than $1 million in the last quarter for its efforts, and recently launched its first cable TV ad. It's also found an ally in DTE Energy executives.
In contrast, the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol raised $529,000 in the last quarter. The group formed in 2016, and collected thousands of signatures to get the legalization proposal on the ballot.
"This is something that the people of Michigan have said they want -- and the establishment is blocking it," said Josh Hovey, the paid spokesman for the coalition. "I think that's what the campaign finance reports are showing."
The pro-marijuana campaign is backed by the national Marijuana Policy Project, which gave $110,000 in the last quarter. New Approach PAC -- a group that supports legalization efforts across the country -- also contributed $351,000. The largest individual donor was Rick Steves, the PBS travel host. He came to Michigan in early October to campaign for legalization -- and then donated $50,000.
Most of the funds have been spent -- on consultants, digital ads, polling research and focus groups, leaving the campaign with slightly more than $151,000 heading into the last week of the election. The campaign paid $6,000 for marijuana tax revenue estimates from VS Strategies, a Colorado firm. Their revenue estimates were half of what the Senate Fiscal Agency estimated was possible in 2023: $287.9 million.
"I think it's going to be a fight to the end," Hovey said. "While I think the people are on our side and understand that prohibition hasn't worked ... when you're looking at the campaign finance reports, there's still a lot of conservative and big business interests that are maybe not as far ahead of where the public stands on this issue."
In three months from July to October, Healthy and Productive Michigan raised $1.09 million.
It has spent $446,653 -- leaving the campaign with $697,268 on hand with less than a full week to go to the election. Much of cash on hand -- $600,000 -- has gone to pay Advictory for a cable TV spot, according to late campaign finance filings. Most of the rest of the campaign's spending has been to Greenlee Consulting, for polling and consultants -- as well as a long list of canvassers from the Detroit area.
The opposition campaign continues to be largely funded by SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) Action, a national nonprofit dedicated to campaigning against legalization. In the last quarter, the group kicked in $656,000.
A new source of funds for the campaign has also emerged: executives at DTE Energy.
Michigan Energy First, a nonprofit whose president is listed in state records as Renze Hoeksema -- vice president of government affairs for DTE Energy -- donated $250,000.
A number of DTE Energy executives have donated to the opposition campaign: Chairman Gerry Anderson ($50,000), President Jerry Norcia ($15,000), DTE Electric President Trevor Lauer ($2,500) and DTE Gas President Mark Stiers ($2,500).
"Healthy and Productive Michigan is excited that many individuals and companies have come forward to support our cause of defeating recreational marijuana," said Scott Greenlee, president of the group. "It is obvious that companies will be testing a lot more frequently to ensure that those working in fields like transportation, manufacturing, medical, and a host of other jobs are not impaired at all. And many companies will simply choose to be drug free regardless of what business they are in."
DTE Energy has not taken a stance on Proposal 1, but company officials have stated they wouldn't change any of their policies if it passes.
"In fact, due to the nature of our work as an energy company, DTE is required to perform drug testing in accordance with federal and state laws. We have no plans to change our company's current drug-free policy even if recreational marijuana is legalized in Michigan," the company said in a statement.
The opposition campaign has kicked into high gear two weeks before the election, hosting a string of press conferences first in Detroit with the NAACP, and then across the state with local officials.
To date, 73 county sheriffs have opposed the ballot measure -- as well as the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, 56 county prosecutors and a number of health officials.
Oct. 25, Healthy and Productive Michigan unveiled their first TV ad. Next week, they are promising more press conferences, as well as appearances from opposition sources from Colorado. Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb will appear at the Grand Rapids Economic Club Luncheon, along with former U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, who was assigned to Colorado.
-- Ahttps://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/10/legalization_campaign_falls_be.htmlmy Biolchini is the marijuana beat reporter for MLive. Contact her with questions, tips or comments at [email protected].
Read more from MLive about recreational marijuana.
Legalization campaign falls behind fundraising of anti-marijuana group
Posted Oct 26 2018
By Amy Biolchini
A group formed to oppose marijuana legalization in Michigan has drawn twice the donations than the campaign supporting the ballot proposal in the last three months.
The opposition group -- Healthy and Productive Michigan -- collected more than $1 million in the last quarter for its efforts, and recently launched its first cable TV ad. It's also found an ally in DTE Energy executives.
In contrast, the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol raised $529,000 in the last quarter. The group formed in 2016, and collected thousands of signatures to get the legalization proposal on the ballot.
"This is something that the people of Michigan have said they want -- and the establishment is blocking it," said Josh Hovey, the paid spokesman for the coalition. "I think that's what the campaign finance reports are showing."
The pro-marijuana campaign is backed by the national Marijuana Policy Project, which gave $110,000 in the last quarter. New Approach PAC -- a group that supports legalization efforts across the country -- also contributed $351,000. The largest individual donor was Rick Steves, the PBS travel host. He came to Michigan in early October to campaign for legalization -- and then donated $50,000.
Most of the funds have been spent -- on consultants, digital ads, polling research and focus groups, leaving the campaign with slightly more than $151,000 heading into the last week of the election. The campaign paid $6,000 for marijuana tax revenue estimates from VS Strategies, a Colorado firm. Their revenue estimates were half of what the Senate Fiscal Agency estimated was possible in 2023: $287.9 million.
"I think it's going to be a fight to the end," Hovey said. "While I think the people are on our side and understand that prohibition hasn't worked ... when you're looking at the campaign finance reports, there's still a lot of conservative and big business interests that are maybe not as far ahead of where the public stands on this issue."
In three months from July to October, Healthy and Productive Michigan raised $1.09 million.
It has spent $446,653 -- leaving the campaign with $697,268 on hand with less than a full week to go to the election. Much of cash on hand -- $600,000 -- has gone to pay Advictory for a cable TV spot, according to late campaign finance filings. Most of the rest of the campaign's spending has been to Greenlee Consulting, for polling and consultants -- as well as a long list of canvassers from the Detroit area.
The opposition campaign continues to be largely funded by SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) Action, a national nonprofit dedicated to campaigning against legalization. In the last quarter, the group kicked in $656,000.
A new source of funds for the campaign has also emerged: executives at DTE Energy.
Michigan Energy First, a nonprofit whose president is listed in state records as Renze Hoeksema -- vice president of government affairs for DTE Energy -- donated $250,000.
A number of DTE Energy executives have donated to the opposition campaign: Chairman Gerry Anderson ($50,000), President Jerry Norcia ($15,000), DTE Electric President Trevor Lauer ($2,500) and DTE Gas President Mark Stiers ($2,500).
"Healthy and Productive Michigan is excited that many individuals and companies have come forward to support our cause of defeating recreational marijuana," said Scott Greenlee, president of the group. "It is obvious that companies will be testing a lot more frequently to ensure that those working in fields like transportation, manufacturing, medical, and a host of other jobs are not impaired at all. And many companies will simply choose to be drug free regardless of what business they are in."
DTE Energy has not taken a stance on Proposal 1, but company officials have stated they wouldn't change any of their policies if it passes.
"In fact, due to the nature of our work as an energy company, DTE is required to perform drug testing in accordance with federal and state laws. We have no plans to change our company's current drug-free policy even if recreational marijuana is legalized in Michigan," the company said in a statement.
The opposition campaign has kicked into high gear two weeks before the election, hosting a string of press conferences first in Detroit with the NAACP, and then across the state with local officials.
To date, 73 county sheriffs have opposed the ballot measure -- as well as the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, 56 county prosecutors and a number of health officials.
Oct. 25, Healthy and Productive Michigan unveiled their first TV ad. Next week, they are promising more press conferences, as well as appearances from opposition sources from Colorado. Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb will appear at the Grand Rapids Economic Club Luncheon, along with former U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, who was assigned to Colorado.
-- Ahttps://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/10/legalization_campaign_falls_be.htmlmy Biolchini is the marijuana beat reporter for MLive. Contact her with questions, tips or comments at [email protected].
Read more from MLive about recreational marijuana.
