Dear Neighbor,
Michigan owes a great deal to our seniors. As people who have spent most of their lives caring for their families and contributing to their communities, Michigan seniors are the backbone behind this special state we call home. And that’s why, as your State Senator, I am working to ensure that you can access the benefits and protections you are entitled to.
From putting money back in your wallets to cracking down on those annoying, deceptive phone scams, my colleagues and I are doing everything we can to make your everyday lives a little bit easier, safer, and more enjoyable. Because you deserve it.
If you ever need assistance navigating a state department, or would like to share any feedback or suggestions, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office by calling (517) 373-5100 or emailing SenSMcCann@senate.michigan.gov. We are here to help you.
Sincerely,
Sean McCann
State Senator
District 19
SenSeanMcCann.com
District 19 Senior Centers are Set Up for Success
I am proud to have secured critical budget investments that help senior residents thrive across our community — ensuring support for robust programming, services, and activities for those who need it most.
Portage Zhang Senior Center
In 2021, I was pleased to work with State Rep. Christine Morse to deliver $1.5 million to support the City of Portage with their construction of the new Portage Zhang Senior Center. Supported through local and private contributions, the new center opened in May of 2022 and continues to serve seniors throughout Kalamazoo County. The Portage Senior Center offers extensive programming — assistance to older residents, health and wellness classes, and a wide variety of interest and hobby groups.
Ecumenical Senior Center
For Fiscal Year 2025-26, I secured $1 million towards new facilities for the Ecumenical Senior Center located in Kalamazoo. Their Capital Building Expansion remains ongoing and will help their organization continue to provide a broad spectrum of services, resources, and activities to enhance the quality of the lives of older citizens in our community.
Lowering the Cost of Housing
With the high costs of housing pricing too many Michigan residents out of their communities, the Michigan Senate is seeking to expand the Homestead Property Tax Credit and deliver meaningful tax relief to seniors and others who are struggling to make ends meet.
Introduced last year with bipartisan support, this legislation would both expand eligibility and increase the credit amount, helping nearly half a million Michigan residents keep up with the cost of living and supporting seniors to age with dignity in their own homes.
This proposal builds on previous efforts by Senate Democrats to safeguard residents in the housing market, including a law passed last year that bans housing discrimination based on source of income, an unfair practice that especially impacts seniors.
Cracking Down on Deceptive Robocalls
Phone scams aren’t just outright annoying; they’re dangerous.
And with Michigan residents receiving over a billion robocalls every year, my colleagues and I have been doing everything possible to protect residents statewide (especially our seniors and folks with disabilities) from this misleading and predatory behavior. The Telephone Solicitation Act that we unanimously passed out of the Senate earlier this year would safeguard residents’ wallets and peace of mind by:
- Creating explicit rules that telephone solicitors must follow when making calls and text messages to better protect consumers, minimize disruptions, and improve transparency before a purchase is made;
- Keeping telephone solicitors from blocking caller ID or displaying misleading names, phone numbers, or area codes; and
- Allowing the Attorney General to investigate and hold bad actors accountable.
Bringing Missing Seniors Back Home
When a loved one goes missing, a family’s whole world turns upside down, and the only thing they can focus on is finding them and bringing them back home. That’s why the Michigan Senate passed legislation last year to create a statewide Silver Alert public notification system.
Already utilized in at least 37 other states, this commonsense legislation would require local law enforcement to notify Michigan State Police (MSP) when a senior or vulnerable adult goes missing. MSP would then activate alerts through the federal Wireless Emergency Alert system, ensuring immediate public notification — much like an Amber Alert.
Passed with the full support of the Michigan Senate last year, this bill would be a gamechanger, helping Michigan’s missing loved ones safely return to the security of their homes and arms of their family.
Preventing Elder Abuse & Exploitation
Each year, many Michigan seniors are victims of abuse and exploitation, which can lead to depression, hospitalization, and even death.
Aside from the physical and mental health consequences, elder abuse can also include financial scams – costing older adults over $28 billion each year. To safeguard Michigan elders from abuse and exploitation, my Senate Democratic colleagues and I have passed legislation to:
- Allow older adults to request elder and vulnerable adult personal protection orders;
- Expand penalties for financial exploitation and abuse, including after a vulnerable person’s death;
- Equip prosecutors to hold offenders accountable in embezzlement cases harming older adults, allowing them to recover property up to ten years after the offenses took place; and
- Bring together local teams of experts to develop programs that help prevent abuse from happening.
Local Resources and Programs
Ecumenical Senior Center
Currently under construction; operating at Milestone Senior Services
(269) 381-9750
Area Agency on Aging
311 E. Alcott St. Kalamazoo, MI 49007
(269) 373-5200
AAA3Ainfo@kalcounty.gov
Milestone Senior Services
918 Jasper St. Kalamazoo, MI 49001
(269) 382-0515
info@MilestoneSeniorServices.org
Portage Zhang Senior Center
203 E. Centre Ave. Portage, MI 49002
(269) 329-4555
Richland Area Community Center
9400 E. CD Ave. Richland, MI 49083
(269) 629-9430
Senior Care Partners PACE – Kalamazoo
445 W. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49007
(269) 488-5460
Senior Care Partners PACE – Portage
800 E. Milham Ave. Portage, MI 49002
(269) 280-9560
South County Community Services
606 Spruce St. Vicksburg, MI 49097
(269) 649-2901
Putting Money Back in Your Wallet
We’ve heard loud and clear from folks across the state: you need some financial relief, and you need it now. That’s why, from day one, my Senate Democratic colleagues and I championed the largest tax break in state history, cutting taxes by $1 billion for those who need it most. As part of these efforts, we successfully repealed the state’s unpopular and unfair retirement tax, which had been shortchanging Michigan’s retirees for over a decade. Slated to go into full effect this year, this will help nearly 500,000 seniors save $1,000 annually — enabling them to enjoy the retirement they want and deserve.
Building off that progress, we also eliminated state taxes on Social Security as part of our bipartisan 2026 state budget agreement. This will save up to 40,000 eligible seniors $500/year on their state taxes, so they can keep more of their hard-earned paycheck. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/taxes.