LANSING – Opponents of the ballot proposal to increase the state’s renewable energy standard to 25 percent by 2025 are solidly outspending supporters, campaign finance reports filed Friday show.

Clean Affordable Renewable Energy raised $16.8 million for the period, spending about $15.43 million with a balance at about $1.65 million headed into November. Aside from the multi-million dollars coming from Consumers Energy and DTE Energy, the group also picked up contributions from the Michigan Electrical Contractors Association to the tune of $120,951, as well as six-figure contributions from the American Natural Gas Alliance and BNSF Railway Company in Texas.

Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs, the group backing Proposal 12-3, took in more than $8.73 million and spent almost as much ? about $8.6 million ? between July 21 and October 21. The group has a balance of about $565,397 but proponents of the proposal also have multiple committees to handle money coming from across the nation.

The League of Conservation Voters, the national group, has contributed $1.8 million alone to Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs while its Michigan branch (though the account still appears to be coming from Washington, D.C.) has added another $1.9 million this reporting period, as well as $21,254 in in-kind contributions to pay for staff and travel, cell phone minutes, phones and food, its report showed.

Another $1 million donation to proponents came from Julian Robertson, Jr., founder of an early hedge fund company named Tiger Management in New York. He is listed at No. 170 on the Forbes 400 list and No. 491 on Forbes Billionaires (#164 in the United States) as of September 2012. The Robertson Foundation he founded lists its core program areas as education, environment, medical research, and religion and spirituality.

Other substantial donations to Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs have come from the Blue Green Alliance, American Wind Energy Association and SCORE Michigan, known through its full name as the Sierra Club Organizing for Renewable Energy in Michigan.

And there are several committees separate from Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs spending significantly to pass the proposal.

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