Nolan Finley, Adolph Mongo voice their views on Proposal 6 - Fox 2 News Headlines

By Andrea Isom
Fox 2 News Reporter

DETROIT (WJBK) -- Proposal 6 -- many folks are on the fence when you talk about the big bridge battle that is going to be on the ballot come November.

For some, the political ads are not adding up, but the confusion is multiplying by the minute.

To put it plainly, Proposal 6 would change the state constitution so that there would have to be a city or statewide vote before any new international bridge or tunnel could be built.

Voting yes would say you want to change the constitution.  Voting no means you want things to stay the way they are now.

"New international trade crossing is just a fabulous opportunity," Michigan Governor Rick Snyder told Fox 2.  "Here's a situation that is about long-term trade, jobs.... It doesn't cost Michigan taxpayers any money because the Canadians are going to put up the money for this bridge and it will only be repaid out of tolls, and that's legally binding."

"Look at all the support, all the businesses, many of the labor unions are all behind building this new bridge."

But not the Teamsters who are backing Matty Moroun, the owner of the Ambassador Bridge.  Moroun made a major guarantee to the Teamsters telling them he will use union labor to build another bridge of his own.  So the billionaire is throwing buckets of money to put the brakes on that bridge Snyder is so excited about.

"Does anyone want to believe that one special interest should be able to override what's in the best interest of the people of the State of Michigan," Snyder said.

"His interest is to keep a one bridge monopoly over the Detroit River.  He's got a good deal.  You can't blame him for that," said Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley.

"If somebody wants to pay for a bridge, got the money, been in bridge building longer than anybody in this city and state, let them build it," said political consultant Adolph Mongo.  "People say it's not right one person owns a bridge.  That bridge has been owned by individuals since the beginning.  If we would've waited for the city or the state to build the Ambassador Bridge, it would've been in Ohio."

Mongo and Finley agreed to tackle both sides of this hot topic.  Proposal 6 in their eyes?

"It's bad for Michigan," Finley remarked.  "You do not want to use your constitution in this manner.  The constitution should not be a place where infrastructure projects are decided.  That's for policy makers.  That's why we elect a governor, why we elect a legislature, to make these decisions."

"Anybody that supports... Snyder, that's a cop, that's a fireman, that's a teacher that works for the union, how can you support a guy that's anti-union, tax your pensions and want to get rid of democracy?  How can you support him?" Mongo said.

"If we're going to have a second span, if we believe that will stimulate economic activity in this region and make us a logistics capitol, then the public has to build that second bridge," said Finley.

"They say it's not going to cost taxpayers money.  Somewhere down the line a new government in Canada is going to say why are we footing the bill for the Americans?" Mongo told us.

"We don't want to have to go to the voters every time we build an infrastructure project and say, well, say yes or say no," Finley said.

"If the state is going to spend $5 billion, they need to spend it in the cities.  They need to spend it in the suburbs.  They need to spend it on public safety.  They need to spend it in education, not a bridge that's going to be owned and operated by who?  The Canadian government," said Mongo.

Proposal 6, a measure that puts the decision in the hands of the people.  What will you decide?