Dear Neighbor,
As we enter a new year and a new legislative session, I want to take a moment to reach out and reflect on the progress made and victories won for the people of our lakeshore district. Together with your partnership, we’ve been able to work in a bipartisan way to solve real problems for our community, including cutting taxes, securing funding to protect Lake St. Clair, and so much more. Looking ahead, I’m committed to continuing this work to create a Michigan where every individual can achieve their American Dream.
As always, thank you for the opportunity to represent you. I look forward to receiving your input to help address everyday problems. If you have any questions, want to comment on pending legislation, or need help resolving any issues in state government, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Sincerely,
Kevin Hertel
State Senator
District 12
BUILDING UP OUR LAKESHORE COMMUNITY
Protecting Lake St. Clair and all it has to offer cannot be a partisan issue — it’s a community issue. That’s why, throughout my time in the Legislature, I’ve been focused on working with anyone and everyone, Democrats and Republicans, including Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller, to secure over $95 million for local water infrastructure projects.
To learn more about the ways we’re building up our community, visit SenateDems.com/budget.
TOTAL DOLLARS SECURED FOR LAKE ST. CLAIR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE: $95M
LOWERING COSTS FOR MICHIGANDERS
As everything from rent and groceries to fuel rises, it’s becoming harder for families to make ends meet. From my first day in the Senate, I’ve been focused on lowering costs for Michiganders like you. The very first bill I introduced was to repeal our state’s retirement tax, helping nearly 500,000 seniors save $1,000 annually. I was also proud to work with my colleagues to pass historic tax relief for working families, quintupling the state Earned Income Tax Credit to help 700,000 residents save an average of $3,150 per year.
Building on this previous work, we’ve taken many actions this past year to
continue easing financial burdens for Michigan families, including:
Child Care: Made major investments to lower child care costs and expand affordable preschool for four-year-olds, helping families save $10,000 annually.
Housing: Secured funding for the Housing and Community Development Fund, supporting safe, affordable housing for veterans, seniors, and working-class families.
Health Care: Improved Medicaid coverage, including full coverage for childbirth and expanded care centers and services for Michigan families.
Higher Education: Increased financial support for those pursuing skilled trades, lowered the cost of a higher degree, and made community college accessible for all students.
Food Access: Continued providing funding to ensure all students, regardless of zip codeor household income, have access to breakfast and lunch at school so they can focus in the classroom, while also saving families an estimated $850 per child every year
FOSTERING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS WITH HERTEL
Throughout the year, I’ve had the pleasure of engaging with residents across District 12. From coffee hours and town halls to city council meetings and ribbon cuttings, these connections directly shape the legislation my team and I work on at the Capitol. As we enter 2025, I invite you to check out our website to see what upcoming events we have on the calendar — I’d love to see you at one!
Visting classrooms, reading to kids, and talking about the work we’re doing in the Senate to support their education is always a highlight of National Reading Month in March
This summer, I had the pleasure of joining Rep. Denise Mentzer to celebrate the groundbreaking of a transformational housing project for Mt. Clemens that we secured funds for in the state budget.
I was humbled to join hundreds of community members, enlisted service members, and veterans at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial to honor those who stormed the beaches of Normandy in 1944.
