Search

Civic activist opposed to tax limitation programs and initiatives and supportive of maintaining existing tax rates and levels of state services. Files detailing her work with such organizations as Citizens Opposed to Slick Tax Schemes, Citizens to Save Our State, Promote Michigan, and Michigan Tax Information Council.

The Charlotte Copp papers consist of 0.5 linear feet of material arranged according to the ballot campaigns or organizations in which she was involved: Michigan Taxpayers Vote "No" on Proposal C; Citizens Advisory Committee to Civil Service Commission; Citizens Opposed to Slick Tax Schemes; Citizens to Save Our State; Promote Michigan, and Michigan Tax Information Council. The bulk of the material is in the Citizens Opposed to Slick Tax Schemes and Citizens to Save Our State files; this reflects Copp's more active involvement in these two anti-tax limitation campaigns. The materials in the other series are thinner as the campaigns seemed to hold less sense of immediacy for Copp.

The materials consist of agendas, minutes, correspondence, financial reports, background reports, and press releases. They are arrayed alphabetically by type of material within each series. As Copp's most active level of involvement was as treasurer, the financial reports and budgets are illuminating of the widespread support these campaigns enjoyed even during downturns of the state's economic cycle. The minutes and correspondence also shed light on the inner workings of well-funded, well-organized, grass-roots organizations.

Since periodic efforts to pass tax limitations or tax rollbacks arise on the Michigan political scene during the 1970s and 1980s, various individuals, groups, and coalitions rose to oppose what they sensed to be short-sighted fiscal policy. Charlotte Copp was one such individual, but her involvement is reflected in the activity of larger groups. To gain a fuller understanding of Copp's political involvement, one should examine the League of Women Voters collections (containing material detailing Copp's presidency of that organization). To gain a more extensive grasp of the anti-tax limitation efforts of 1984, one should consult the Promote Michigan Committee collection.