BALLOT PROPOSALS - ANOTHER USE FOR LLM AI MODELS

Got an early look at November's ballot this week. Two proposals are up for vote in my area. Both are frustratingly confusing (as ballot proposals always are). It seems every election, one needs a degree in legalese (and the ability to diagram sentences) to understand the proposals on the ballot.

(One infamous case years ago here in Michigan, one proposal was written intentionally to be confusing to trick people into voting a certain way.)

Curious, I asked ChatGPT to rewrite the current proposals to be more understandable.

Below are the results:

1. Proposal 1:

ORIGINAL VERSION: Shall Article 11 of the Charter of the City of Woodhaven, Michigan, be amended so as to permit the levy by the City of an additional ad valorem tax in an amount not to exceed three (3) mills for five (5) years, for such millage to be used for providing Fire Department emergency Services, dispatch and Protection from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2030?

CHATGPT VERSION: Should Article 11 of the City of Woodhaven's Charter be updated to allow the City to collect an additional property tax of up to 3 mills for five years? The funds from this tax would support the Fire Department’s emergency services, dispatch, and protection, covering the period from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2030.

2. Proposal 2:

ORIGINAL VERSION: Pursuant to state law, the revenue raised by the proposed renewal of the enhancement millage will be collected by the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency ("Wayne RESA") and distributed on an equal per-pupil basis to local constituent school districts including eligible public school academies within the boundaries of Wayne RESA. None of the enhancement millage revenue will be distributed to Wayne RESA, and all funds shall be independently audited by the local constituent school districts and eligible public school academies as part of their annual school audits.

As a renewal of authority which expires with the 2027 levy, shall the limitation on the amount of ad valorem taxes which may be imposed on taxable property in the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency, Michigan, be increased by 1.9812 mills ($1.98 per thousand dollars of taxable value) for a period of six (6) years, 2028 to 2033, inclusive, to provide operating funds to enhance other state and local funding for local school district operating purposes? It is estimated that 1.9812 mills would raise approximately $108 million when first levied in 2028.

The revenue from this enhancement millage will be distributed on an equal per pupil basis to the following listed constituent school districts and the public school academies within the boundaries of Wayne RESA which are eligible to receive enhancement millage under the Revised School Code:

CHATGPT VERSION: In line with state law, the revenue from this proposed renewal of the enhancement millage will be collected by the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency ("Wayne RESA") and distributed equally per student to local school districts and eligible public school academies within Wayne RESA's boundaries. Wayne RESA will not keep any of the funds, and each district and academy will conduct independent audits of the funds as part of their annual financial reviews.

This proposal is a renewal of an existing tax that expires with the 2027 levy. It asks whether the limit on property taxes within Wayne RESA should be increased by 1.9812 mills ($1.98 per $1,000 of taxable value) for six years, from 2028 to 2033, to provide operating funds that supplement state and local funding for school district operations.

If approved, the 1.9812 mills tax is expected to generate approximately $108 million in 2028.

The revenue will be distributed equally per student to the following school districts and eligible public school academies within Wayne RESA:

What do you think? Is the AI version more clear?