Dear Neighbor,
I want to provide you some information about what has been going on in our state government and update you on what I’ve been working on in the Legislature.
In this e-news, you can find information about:
- District shoutouts and events
- Legislative and budget updates
- Resources and grant opportunities
As always, you can reach my office at (517) 373-2406 or by replying to this email.
Sincerely,
Jeff Irwin
State Senator
District 15
DISTRICT SHOUTOUTS
Ypsilanti
EGLE Awards Community Technical, Managerial, and Financial Support for Lead Line Replacement Grant to the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority
I am pleased to notify you that the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority has been awarded a Community Technical, Managerial, and Financial Support for Lead Line Replacement Grant totaling just under $600,000. The project will fund physical verification of lead service lines for submittal of Complete Distribution System Materials Inventory required under the 2018 Lead and Copper Rule changes. The funding will also be used to assist communities in utilizing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Drinking Water State Revolving Fund dollars for lead line replacement, which are available through Fiscal Year 2027.
Opening of Children’s Healing Center in Ypsilanti
I am happy to report that a new branch of the Children’s Healing Center opened in Ypsilanti. The nonprofit center will provide free artistic, educational, and recreational activities to children and young people with weakened immune systems. I am proud to have helped secure $5 million of state funding for the project and to have attended the opening ceremony.
Ann Arbor
Grant for Affordable Housing for Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti
Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have received an EGLE grant to construct new affordable housing. The two projects, Catherine Street Affordable Housing in Ann Arbor and Dorsey Estates in Ypsilanti, have been allocated $1 million each. Both will be constructed on former brownfield properties; the grant will cover the cost of contamination removal. I believe these projects are innovative ways to combat the housing crisis, increase economic growth, and clean up pollution.
Lenawee County
Environmental Wins for Lenawee
I am happy to let you know that the EPA has awarded the Lenawee Now Foundation with half a million dollars to fund environmental assessments and brownfield site cleanup in the county.
Milan
Wilson Park Grant for Improvement
Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources has awarded a nearly one million dollar grant to the City of Milan to improve Wilson Park. The grant received hundreds of applications statewide and Milan’s proposal was one of only 31 selected. The renovations will add new ADA-compliant pathways, shade structures, courts, among other things.
Saline
Library Renovations
In Saline, exciting renovations are underway at the Saline District Library. The library will add an outdoor pavilion, increased study rooms and seating areas, improved spaces for teens, new shelving and carpet, landscaping, a drive-through window, and a gender-neutral bathroom. Please know that construction might impact some library services. More information can be found here.
DISTRICT EVENT CALENDARS
- Ypsilanti Event Calendar
- Ann Arbor Event Calendar
- Lenawee County Event Calendar
- Milan Event Calendar
- Saline Event Calendar
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Community Solar: Senate Bills 152 and 153
This June, the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment held its first hearings on our bipartisan community solar legislation that would greatly expand solar energy access by allowing community solar. Senate Bills 152 and 153 would eliminate the restrictions keeping small-scale solar energy operations from existing in Michigan and allow residents to subscribe to community solar projects for which they will receive credits on their electricity bill for the power produced. This legislation would also improve our energy grid’s resilience and create thousands of good-paying jobs across our state while lowering Michigan resident’s utility bills. Learn more about what these bills would do for our state here.
Michigan Stop Taking Foster Kids’ Income: Senate Bill 872
Currently, Michigan takes about $3.2 million from foster children every year. Many foster children, about 600 a year in Michigan, are eligible for federal benefits due to being disabled or orphaned. When a child enters foster care, the state begins collecting any existing benefits and often applies for benefits on the child’s behalf, often without ever notifying the children whose funds they are seizing. Senate Bill 872 would eliminate the practice of taking these resources from children who are under the care of our state. These youth already face extreme challenges that land them in foster care and when they age out of the system, they are often left with little or no financial or emotional support. Under this bill, their funds would be managed for the benefit of the children, providing a path to stability for them and their families when they exit foster care. This bill has been voted out of committee and awaits a vote on the Senate Floor.
Protecting Michigan’s Most Vulnerable Adults: Senate Bills 922-925
This legislative package was designed to further protections for adults who are more vulnerable to acts of exploitation due to aging, or mental and physical impairments. Together, Senate Bills 922–925 bolster penalties for those who commit acts of both abuse and financial exploitation, as well as develop exploitation prevention efforts. This package has been referred to the Senate committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety.
Productivity Credits: Senate Bills 861-864
Senate Bills 861-864, known as the Safer Michigan Act, would create “productivity credits” in our state prison system, allowing certain people who are incarcerated the chance to earn days off their total sentence if they participate and successfully complete MDOC-approved educational and vocational programs. Productivity credits are a proven safety strategy that would help reduce recidivism while requiring additional safety measures for past crime victims. This bipartisan package also incentivizes incarcerated individuals to rehabilitate and lead meaningful lives after their time is served. This package received its first hearing in the Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee in June of this year. Read more about this legislative package here.
STATE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
Budget Highlights
Every year, the Michigan Legislature is responsible for approving the next fiscal year’s budget, which begins on October 1. This year’s $82.5 billion budget is an opportunity to make major investments in the future of our state. From education and healthcare to our environment and infrastructure, this budget is reflective of the issues facing residents across our state.
Some of these statewide investments include:
K-12
Providing a quality, free, public education should always be the top priority for the State of Michigan and this year’s budget makes progress towards that goal. Having served in the Legislature for over a decade now, it is great to finally see budgets that increase allocations to K-12 schools faster than the rate of inflation. This year continues that new trend.
This year’s K-12 budget is a little different than previous years because we made major changes to how we fund post-employment benefits. As you may know, Michigan schools and school employees have been paying to cover past pension obligations and to pre-fund post-employment healthcare for employees. This year, the fund for post-employment healthcare reached greater than 100% funding for its expected future costs. Therefore, we decided to redirect the revenue that was previously going to fund post-employment healthcare to the classroom.
To restate it more plainly, schools receive money from Lansing every year but then send back a little over 20% of their total payroll to pay off pension liabilities. By changing how much schools pay for past pension costs by reducing the percentage of their payroll that has to come back to the state for the Michigan Public School Employees’ Retirement System (MPSERS), the school districts will have more money to spend in classrooms.
On average, our budget increases per-pupil funding by approximately $400, or around 4.16%, per student statewide. This affects each district a little differently, largely depending on the percentage of their budget devoted to payroll.
One additional point is that these increases only include how the changes to MPSERS affect the districts. These numbers don’t include the increases districts may receive through other budget lines such as “at-risk” funding or funding for “career technical education,” etc. In general, schools will see increases in funding for special education, at-risk students, FAFSA completion rates, English language learners and career technical education.
The specifics for each district in the 15th Senate District:
- Ann Arbor Public Schools: $8.5 million or $508/pupil (4.79%)
- Clinton Community Schools: $396,000 or $317/pupil (3.3%)
- Lincoln Consolidated Schools: $1.3 million or $382/pupil (3.98%)
- Manchester Community Schools: $283,000 or $390/pupil (4.07%)
- Milan Area Schools: $857,000 or $462/pupil (4.82%)
- Saline Area Schools: $2.1 million or $441/per pupil (4.6%)
- South Lyon Community Schools: $3.3 million or $401/pupil (4.18%)
- Tecumseh Public Schools: $837,000 or $336/pupil (3.51%)
- Van Buren Public Schools: $1.9 million or $453/pupil (4.72%)
- Ypsilanti Community Schools: $1.6 million or $449/pupil (4.68%)
Housing
Housing has become a bigger priority under Democratic leadership. I am proud of several important housing investments that were included in this budget, including:
- $20 million for permanent supportive housing to provide stable housing and services to people who are chronically homeless
- $42 million to support housing affordability programs and downpayment assistance through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA)
- $1 million for additional eviction prevention through legal aid
- $1.2 million for local housing needs through Jewish Family Services
- $1 million for emergency homeless services in Washtenaw County
Education
- $85 million ongoing investment to the Great Start Readiness Program to expand free preschool for four-year-olds, increasing the eligibility threshold to 400% of the federal poverty level (under $120,000 annually for a family of four)
- Continued free school breakfasts and lunches for all students
- $75 million to enhance the MI Future Educator Plan to pay student teachers and support new educators
Health and Human Services
- $10 million in additional funding to support maternal and infant health, including funding for doulas
- $6.5 million for continued support for gun violence prevention training, data collection, and training on new gun laws.
- Increased Medicaid rates
Increased support for local governments to pay for police and fire
- $34.2 million increase for cities, villages, and townships
- $30 million increase for counties
Energy and Environment
- $40.3 million for lead line replacement
- $25 million for water and sewer infrastructure
- $30 million to fill in gaps in EV charging and zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure
RESOURCES
Michigan 2-1-1
The Michigan 2-1-1 database contains a wide range of helpful resources and provides support in over 180 different languages. Whether you or someone you know needs help finding cooling centers, accessing rental assistance, or are seeking support with a breast cancer diagnosis, you can call or text 2-1-1 or do a keyword search on their website.
Heat Safety Resources
- MIOSHA Heat Illness Awareness Website
- Heat Awareness and Safety fact sheet from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
- Extreme Heat Prevention Guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Community Resource Guide
The Washtenaw County Resource Guide is a one-stop-shop to find resources pertaining to food assistance, health insurance, housing, older adults, mental health support and many other topics.
Fraud Prevention Tips: AG Nessel Warns Renters, Homebuyers of Fraudulent Real Estate Ads, Zillow Scams in New Alert
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued a new consumer alert, Real Estate Scams – How to Avoid Being Taken in by Fake Listings, to educate renters and homebuyers on how to avoid property scams. Fraudulent real estate listings often advertise properties that don’t exist, are not for sale or rent, or are not what they appear to be.
Nessel’s alert cites Zillow’s advice on the red flags homebuyers should look out for:
- Requests to wire funds;
- Long-distance solicitations;
- Requests for verification codes;
- Requests for personal or financial information; and
- Grammar/spelling errors and sob stories.
The red flags for rental listing scams are similar to those that exist in homebuying fraud schemes. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), using the following strategies can help you avoid being a victim of a rental scam:
- Conduct an online search;
- Examine the price of similar units;
- Look carefully at the property before you sign or pay;
- Never provide personal or financial information; and
- Don’t pay with cash.
If you believe you have been the victim of a rental or real estate scam, report it to:
- Your local law enforcement agency;
- The FTC; and,
- The website where the ad was posted.
You can also file a complaint with the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team:
Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form