LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A state grass roots movement is going to start circulating petitions in the spring to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would prohibit the state from collecting property taxes. The state collected $2.4 billion in property taxes in fiscal year 2023.

Karla Wagner, executive director of AxMITax, said they will start the campaign April 1 and will have 180 days to reach its goal of collecting 600,000 signatures.

MORE NEWS: Pistons Resurge Becoming One of Top Teams in NBA

Property taxes fund such services as transit, police and fire and education in this state.

Wagner said replacing the lost revenue is not a “quick answer.” She said it would require government services to charge more to cover the true costs of their operations so it is the person consuming those services that pays.

“How often do you go to the zoo?” Wagner asked. “Why charge every property tax payer to pay for a zoo? If it can’t make money on its own, why is it there? Same thing with the museums. Same thing with the libraries. … [Gov. Gretchen] Whitmer comes up with a different tax every day. Let’s figure out another way to do it.”

Eliminating property taxes is an idea that is gaining momentum across the country.

Realtor.com reported that a bill was filed in the Florida Legislature this week to study how to eliminate property taxes, a “radical step” that Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he supports.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican who has said he is running for governor of Ohio, said he wants to end property taxes.