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Dear Neighbor, As your State Senator, I want to make sure you’re informed about state and local issues affecting our community and our state. To that end, in the edition below, you can find information about:
As always, you can reach my office at (517) 373-2406 or by replying to this email. |
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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Ending the Tampon Tax No one should be paying more for tampons or other necessary feminine hygiene products. That’s why I was proud to vote YES on Senate Bill 153 and House Bill 5267, which exempt these products from the sales and use tax. On Thursday, Nov. 4, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed HB 5267 into law and will sign SB 153 into law on Friday, Nov. 5. Credit Card Processing Small businesses rely on being able to process credit card transactions. Owners will sign contracts with companies that provide credit card processing systems with small fees on transactions and standard early termination fees. Unfortunately, there are bad actors who take advantage of less sophisticated business owners with flashy language, temporarily low rates that spike, or outright lies. Once a small business signs a predatory contract, they can be locked into a bad contract with outrageous termination fees. This is why I introduced Senate Bill 699 to protect small businesses from predatory contracts and bad actors by ensuring that cancellation fees are reasonable. School Tax Credit/Voucher Petition Our state constitution allows the Legislature to enact a law if a petition drive obtains signatures from registered voters equal to 8% of the total vote for governor in the prior election. If the Legislature enacts the law, the Governor cannot veto it. This is exactly what conservative, DeVos-backed groups are trying to do now that Gov. Whitmer has said that she will veto Senate Bill 687 and House Bill 5405. The petition will authorize a school voucher-style system by creating tuition accounts for students wanting to go to private schools. These accounts would be funded by individuals and corporations that would get a 1:1 income tax credit for their donations. The Senate Fiscal Agency, which provides detailed analysis on legislation, wrote this in their analysis: “The bill would reduce State revenue by as much as $500 million in the first year it was effective, with the potential for the revenue loss to increase 20% per year in later years… If the cap on the maximum value of credits grew 20% per year, the cap would be $500 million in the first year, $600 million in the second year, $720 million in the third year, $864 million in the fourth year, and more than $1 billion by the fifth year.” This is a direct challenge to our state’s constitutional ban on using public money to help pay for private schooling and the last attempt to implement a school voucher-style system that was overwhelmingly opposed by Michigan. It threatens the financial health of our state and our schools by giving corporations and the wealthiest another major tax break. Election “Security” Petition Similarly, conservative groups have been gathering signatures on a petition that will suppress voting and make it harder for our local clerks to do their job. One part of the petition that is most concerning is that it would prohibit local clerks from accepting direct funding or free “in-kind” assistance for election-related activities from individuals or non-governmental entities. Our local clerks have serious concerns about this provision. |
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If enough signatures are gathered, this too can evade our governor’s veto.
DISTRICT HAPPENINGS I participated in a Child Care Town Hall hosted by the Michigan Caregivers and Student Parents (MCSP) along with elected officials and child care providers. We discussed how the pandemic affected and revealed disparities in the availability of child care, and the dire need for increased child care funding. You can read more about it here. I also recently toured the Ypsi Armory, which houses Michigan National Guard and Army soldiers, and spoke with Major General Paul Rogers about their need for upgrades and improvements. The improvements will ensure that our female soldiers have equitable bathrooms, locker rooms and a much-needed lactation room, and make the facility more energy efficient. I’m very happy to support their efforts to get state and matching federal funding. |
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COFFEE HOUR UPDATE Join me at my upcoming virtual coffee hour on Saturday, November 20th at 11:00 a.m. on Zoom or Facebook Live. |
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>> Please use this form to RSVP to the coffee hour and to receive the information about how to join the meeting, which you can also watch on my Facebook page. Since it is a few weeks away, don’t forget to click “Going” on the Facebook event to get a reminder the day before and day of. If you are unable to access the form or have any problems with the link, please contact my office at (517) 373-2406 or by responding to this email.
FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA) The application for FAFSA has opened! FAFSA helps current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) determine their eligibility for student financial aid, like the Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG). Visit the FAFSA website to find more information and apply.
COVID-19 EMERGENCY RENT AND UTILITY RESOURCES |
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Need help with rent, utilities, and/or internet bills? Apply today at Michigan.gov/CERA. You can also access the CERA online application, links to paper applications, and new user guides to walk tenants and landlords through the application process at Washtenaw.org.
WASHTENAW COUNTY VACCINE INFO The Washtenaw County Health Department is now offering Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson booster doses at our 555 Towner clinic in Ypsilanti. Please bring your vaccination card and identification, if possible. Additionally, the CDC has approved vaccines for ages 5-11 years. The WCHD will begin giving vaccines to this age group, by appointment, on Tuesday, November 9. The Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD) has an ongoing vaccination site located at 555 Towner in Ypsilanti. This site is open to anyone 12 years or older with no appointment necessary. You can request the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The site is open every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 9-11:30 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. |
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As an elected representative, I believe in being readily available and transparent because my office is your office. Email is a great way to share updates, and hear from you on the issues you care about. If you want to alter your email preferences, click here to unsubscribe. |