State associations of nonprofits are aggressive in advocating on behalf of policy issues affecting the ability of charitable nonprofits to pursue their missions. Sometimes the issues are obvious, such as the ongoing battle by the Maine Association of Nonprofits to protect the charitable deduction and property tax exemptions. Sometimes the impact of issues on nonprofits isn’t so obvious, as was the case with a ballot measure on road funding until the Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) stepped in.

The ballot measure is an amendment to the Michigan Constitution that would raise the state sales/use tax from 6 percent to 7 percent, triple the state earned income tax credit for lower-income workers, expand the spending on education from the use tax, as well as provide more spending for road construction.

In a recent Public Policy Action Alert, MNA connected the dots between the vote on Proposal 1, on the May 5 statewide ballot, and the work of nonprofits in the state. MNA explains: “This proposal is a bipartisan compromise that will make Michigan’s roads safer. The proposal increases financial support for transportation while not harming schools, cities and other important environmental priorities.” Significantly in MNA’s view, “If it fails, all of these priorities that are important to the nonprofit sector will be put at risk.”

MNA’s Position: “Voting YES on Proposal 1 is Michigan’s best chance to get safer roads and protect efforts that are important to nonprofits.”