For Immediate Release
November 25, 2019
Contact: Scott Tillman (231) 282-1167
Montague, Michigan — An 18-foot hog is coming to protest attempts by lobbyists and state legislators to gut Michigan’s term limits. The pig symbolizes the gluttonous attempt by the Michigan legislature to keep feeding at the public trough on the taxpayer dime.
November 26, 2019
9:00 AM – Hackley Park, near 3rd and W Clay, Muskegon
11:00 AM – Near the intersection of Colby and Division, White Hall
12:00 PM –North of the intersection at Dowling and Ferry, Montague
“Nothing makes lobbyists squeal like losing legislators to term limits,” said Scott Tillman, State Coordinator for Don’t Touch Term Limits! “We want politicians like Greg VanWoerkom to know the people of Michigan love our term limits. Term limits were introduced by citizens not politicians. It is a conflict of interest that they dare to meddle with the people’s term limits.”
November 20th, 2019 a group of lobbyists and former 91st district state representative Mary Valentine filed a lawsuit to overturn Michigan’s term limits. According to Scott Tillman this is proof term limits are working. “When lobbyists and career politicians team up to overturn term limits we can be certain we have something worth fighting to keep.”
According to a new poll conducted by Pulse Research, and commissioned by U.S. Term Limits (USTL), a supermajority of Michigan voters supports keeping the state’s current 6 and 8-year term limits, while believing legislators’ new attacks on the law are due to self-serving motives.
The poll, which was conducted from October 29-30, found that 69 percent of Michigan voters oppose changes to term limits which would enable legislators to stay in office longer. Opposition is bipartisan: 75 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of Independent voters say the current limits should remain in place.
In assessing the motivation of legislators who want longer term limits, 70 percent of voters believe the legislators are doing it to benefit themselves personally, while just 19 percent think it is being done to benefit the people of Michigan.
Tillman, a Grand Rapids resident, heralded these results as proof the people of Michigan are not buying what legislators are selling on term limits. “Lee Chatfield, Mike Shirkey and the Chamber of Commerce are only coming after term limits to get more time at the trough,” says Tillman. “Greg VanWoerkom should be standing up for the voters. We will do everything in our power to stop this undemocratic power grab and defend the will of Michigan citizens.”
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Don’t Touch Term Limits! is a grassroots, non-partisan, non-profit organization formed to defend the 1992 vote of the people of Michigan for term limits. For more information or to schedule an interview with a representative of Don’t Touch Term Limits! call Scott Tillman at (231) 282-1167.