Dear Neighbor,
As we begin this term in our new legislative office, my team and I wanted to reach out to share some pertinent updates from the state Capitol. Below, you’ll find details about the District 21 team, highlights from the first weeks of the new legislative session, upcoming events, and updated office contact information.
My team and I are always hard at work for our community. If you, or someone you know, wants to provide any feedback about what’s happening in the district or needs assistance of any sort, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.
In Service,
Sarah
Senate District 21 Team:
I am thrilled to be joined by such an experienced, dedicated staff to do the work to help bolster our Lansing community, Mid-Michigan, and the entire state.
Jenita Moore (Chief of Staff)
Jenita brings over 20 years of state government experience, including serving as Legislative Liaison for Michigan’s Secretary of State, Senior Advisor for Policy and Legislation for the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS), and Deputy Director of the Legislative Affairs Division for Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. She also served as Legislative Director in the Michigan House of Representatives.
Andy Solon (Senior Budget Advisor)
Andy served as Director of Legislative and External Affairs in the State Budget Office. He has considerable experience in policy, legislative and external affairs positions. Prior to his work in the State Budget Office, he was a Policy Advisor in the Michigan House of Representatives and Director of External Affairs for AT&T. He was director of StudentsFirst, a nonprofit organization advocating for educational reform, and served as Legislative Director in the Michigan Senate and Michigan House of Representatives.
Remy Gelderloos (Legislative Director)
Remy served as Legislative Director in our House of Representatives office and is continuing this role in the Senate. Under her leadership, our office saw the passage of several public acts, including legislation related to foster care, housing discrimination, and the Michigan Reconnect program. Prior to joining the 68th House District team in 2022, Remy served with State Representative Bill Sowerby and Mayor Andy Schor.
Jeremy Frazee (Director of Communications and Outreach)
Jeremy was most recently Sen. Anthony’s Campaign Manager for the 2022 cycle. Previously, he was Director of Constituent Services for State Representative Rachel Hood in the Michigan House of Representatives. While in college, Jeremy interned for U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin in her Lansing district office.
Shara Washington (Administrative Assistant/Office Manager)
Shara brings extensive experience to our team, including her role as Executive Scheduler to former Democratic Leader Christine Greig in the Michigan House of Representatives. She also served as Deputy County Clerk for Ingham County, and most recently, as Elections & Licensing Clerk with the City of Lansing.
Capitol Update
I am grateful to officially be your State Senator. I am proudly serving most of Ingham County and now all of Eaton County. Earlier this month, I was joined by family, friends, elected leaders, and residents from across the region as I was sworn in by Michigan Supreme Court Justice Kyra Bolden at our community swearing-in ceremony.
In addition, I was named Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. People in our state are facing crucial hardships, and I look forward to prioritizing and addressing those problems with real, effective solutions.
On Friday, January 13th, the first Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC), which is held at least twice a year, took place. The January CREC starts the annual budget process for the State of Michigan. Participants typically include the Director of the House Fiscal Agency, Director of the Senate Fiscal Agency and either the State Treasurer or State Budget Director. The revenue forecast adopted in the January conference is the starting point for the Governor’s executive budget. For the 2023-24 fiscal year, officials agreed revenues are up another $1.2 billion compared to the May 2022 numbers. It is also estimated that growth in revenues for both General and School Aid funds relative to the 2022-23 fiscal year will be about 1.6 percent. The next stage of the budget process involves Gov. Whitmer presenting her budget recommendation in the coming weeks. If you’d like to learn more about the entire budget process, you can visit Senate.Michigan.Gov/SFA.
I am ready to begin the work alongside my colleagues to deliver a responsible, equitable, and fiscally sound state budget in a timely manner. It is vital we focus and put our differences aside to make sure the money has the maximum benefit in the lives of everyday Michiganders.
Policy Update
The first day of the 102nd Legislature was on Wednesday, January 11th, when each Senator was given the oath of office and sworn in on the Senate floor. Michigan House and Senate Democrats kicked off the first session day of the year and the first day of holding power in both chambers in nearly 40 years by introducing a package of bills that will tackle real challenges that Michiganders are facing. This includes legislation to:
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- Repeal the retirement tax (Senate Bill 1):
- Putting an end to this unfair burden on Michigan seniors will put money in their pockets for things like prescriptions, rent, and groceries
- Increase the Earned Income Tax Credit (Senate Bill 3):
- Expanding the EITC will enable workers to keep more of their hard-earned dollars as more people are struggling with high inflation.
- Other bills in the package would:
- Repeal the 1931 statute that criminalizes abortion care (Senate Bill 2)
- Expand Elliott-Larsen to include protections for sexual and gender identity (Senate Bill 4)
- Repeal so-called “Right-to-Work” (Senate Bill 5)
- Restore prevailing wage (Senate Bill 6)
- Repeal the retirement tax (Senate Bill 1):
I am a co-sponsor and fervent supporter of each of these bills that will make an extreme difference in the lives of so many right here in Mid-Michigan and the entire state. On Thursday, January 26th, I proudly voted in favor of Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill 3. Both bills were passed in the respective chambers and will now move through the rest of the legislative process. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate and with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to swiftly deliver relief for our workers and their families, seniors, small businesses, and local economies.
Upcoming Events
My office will be holding our first coffee hours in Ingham and Eaton counties in February. These events are a great way to hear your thoughts and concerns, provide you with an update on what’s happening in the Capitol, and have some great coffee at a local business!
Here are the details:
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- EATON: Monday, February 27th at 9 a.m. at Fay’s Evelyn Bay Coffee (134 S. Cochran Ave., Charlotte, MI 48813) in Charlotte, Michigan feat. Charlotte City Councilman Joe Chin.
- INGHAM: Monday, February 27th at 11 a.m. at Bestseller’s Books and Coffee in Mason, Michigan (360 S. Jefferson St., Mason, MI 48854) feat. Ingham County Commissioner Karla Ruest.
We recommend that you RSVP before attending the coffee hour so we can anticipate capacity and how much coffee and treats to order! You can RSVP here.
District 21 Contact Information:
Location: State Capitol Building – 100 N Capitol Ave, Lansing, MI 48933
Email address: SenSAnthony@senate.michigan.gov
Phone number: (517) 373-6960
Website: SenatorAnthony.com