Autumn Smith for Battle Creek City Commission At-Large

07/16/2026

Stop Corporate Welfare. Put Taxpayers First.

For too long, local governments have asked working families to approve millages and tax abatements that shift the burden from large corporations onto everyday taxpayers.

The Michigan Constitution is clear. Article IX, Section 18 prohibits the State from granting or authorizing grants of public money or property to private entities except as permitted by law. While many economic development programs are authorized under state statutes and have been upheld in various circumstances, taxpayers deserve to ask whether these subsidies truly serve the public interest or primarily benefit well-connected corporations.

I believe government should invest in our residents—not pick winners and losers in the marketplace.

As your elected representative, I will:

- Oppose unnecessary corporate tax abatements that shift the tax burden onto homeowners and small businesses.
- Carefully scrutinize every proposed subsidy to ensure there is a clear, measurable public benefit.
- Demand transparency, accountability, and independent audits for any tax incentive program.
- Fight against millages that primarily finance corporate giveaways instead of essential public services.
- Stand up for local businesses that don't have lobbyists or special deals.

Economic growth should come from creating a level playing field—not from government favoritism.

It's time to end backroom deals, protect taxpayers, and restore fairness to our local economy.

No more corporate welfare. No more special treatment. Tax dollars should work for the people—not politically connected corporations.

07/14/2026

07/14/2026

At the county filing my campaign committee paperwork.

07/13/2026

🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

07/13/2026

For those who say, "If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about," remember this:

"Show me the man and I'll show you the crime."

That quote is widely attributed to Lavrentiy Beria, the ruthless secret police chief under Stalin's Soviet regime. The message is simple: when the government has unlimited power to watch everyone, it doesn't need to look for criminals first. It can watch everyone first, then decide who to target later.

That's why mass surveillance systems like Flock cameras concern so many people.

The issue isn't whether you're guilty today. It's whether government should have the ability to build databases tracking the movements of millions of innocent people without individualized suspicion.

History teaches us that surveillance powers rarely stay limited to their original purpose. What begins as "public safety" can become a tool for political targeting, selective enforcement, or abuse when the wrong people gain access to the system.

Rights aren't protected because everyone is a criminal. They're protected because everyone is presumed innocent.

Freedom isn't measured by how much surveillance you're willing to accept. It's measured by how much privacy the government must respect.