Some voters say new constitution costly

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Many Michigan voters think holding a convention to rewrite the state's 1963 constitution is a fine idea -- until they learn what it might cost.

Forty-nine percent of 600 likely voters surveyed by Lansing-based EPIC-MRA said they'd vote to hold a constitutional convention if the question was on the ballot today. Thirty-five percent said they'd vote "no" and 16 percent were undecided.

When told a convention could cost taxpayers $45 million, only 23 percent supported it. Seventy-one percent opposed it and 6 percent were undecided.

Voters must decide every 16 years if they want to hold a convention to revise the state constitution.

Results of the Feb. 22-25 poll were released Monday. The poll's margin of sampling error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.