A measure on the Michigan ballot Nov. 6 is asking voters to approve a renewable energy measure requiring 25 percent of electric utilities’ electricity to be produced by renewable resources by 2025.

Known as Proposal 3, it would amend the state constitution to require at least 25 percent of electric utilities’ annual retail sales of electricity be derived from renewable energy resources, like wind, biomass, hydropower or solar.

We urge voters to cast down this proposal.

While we support using and finding new ways to utilize renewable energy resources, an energy policy mandate does not warrant amending the constitution. Fifteen state legislatures have endorsed the “25×25” goal, but Michigan would be the only state to amend its constitution for renewable portfolio standards. Why commit to a rigid goal 13 years down the road? There are too many unknowns in the rapidly changing energy industry.

How many jobs it will create or how much this proposal will cost is debatable at this point — those are estimates from both supporters and critics, and there is too much political rhetoric to decipher what is a fair estimate. The wording on Prop 3 is also extremely vague.

Michigan is already on track to produce 10 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2015, and that is a renewable portfolio standard that can be changed to adjust to new technology or increased costs. If this energy policy were put in the state constitution, it would lose that flexibility.

Vote “no” on Prop 3.

This editorial represents the views of the editorial board.