Friends and Neighbors,
In Lansing, your Senate District 35 team is working to honor our pledge to bring real solutions to real people. In district, we’re putting ourselves in community spaces to share updates and listen.
Your Democratic Majority Leadership is prioritizing the top issues voiced by constituents across Michigan. Three weeks into this new legislative term, we’re on the threshold of delivering immediate and game-changing tax relief for working families hit hardest by inflation and our seniors. I invite you to read about this landmark legislation and more below.
My staff and I want to be as responsive and helpful as possible for you and all our constituents. At the end of our newsletter, we list our various communication channels. Please consider using and sharing these with others in our district to help us excel in constituent-centered engagement.
Sincere Thanks,
Kristen McDonald Rivet
State Senator, District 35
517-373-1725
Post Office Box 30036
Lansing, MI 48909-7536
SenKMcDonaldRivet@senate.michigan.gov
IN THIS EDITION
STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address featured three major themes:
1. Lowering MI Costs
Sen. McDonald Rivet’s proposed boost of the Working Families Tax Credit is a significant piece of the Governor’s three-part plan to keep money in Michiganders’ pockets to pay bills and put food on tables. The other two measures are rolling back the retirement tax and delivering free pre-K for all. Together, these policies would save Michigan’s seniors and families thousands of dollars a year and provide a stronger foundation for Michigan’s children.
2. Make It in Michigan
We must have sustainable funding for economic development if we want to attract and retain talent, employers, and better paying jobs. We must invest in our communities to make them more attractive places to live and work and protect fundamental freedoms of all residents and workers. Lowering the age eligibility for Michigan Reconnect from 25 to 21 would expand those eligible for tuition-free skilled trades training and associates degrees. Also, repealing Michigan’s extreme 1931 abortion ban and expanding the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include LGBTQ+ protections are the right steps for freedom and good economics.
3. Safety and Opportunity
Public safety and opportunities to thrive go hand in hand. Gov. Whitmer proposed another comprehensive investment in law enforcement including better training, oversight, and mental health resources. She also urged passage of universal background checks, safe storage laws, and extreme protection orders to combat crime and gun violence. Also recognizing that all students need more than in-class instruction, Gov. Whitmer called for the MI Kids Back on Track plan to expand tutoring, after school programs, and 1:1 instructional time.
Video of the Jan. 25, 2023, State of the State is available via YouTube linked here.
State of the State Guests
Tamara Tucker and Stacy Washington attended the State of the State address as Sen. McDonald Rivet’s guests. Tamara leads Saginaw’s chapter of Parents of Murdered Children, a national nonprofit that assists families who have lost a loved one to murder. She and Stacy both have daughters killed by gun violence. They are committed to helping families deal with violent loss, bringing hope, and fostering change. ABC12 recently aired this related segment on Parents Of Murdered Children.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Working Families Tax Credit Increase Passes Out of Committee, Full Senate
Jan. 24, 2023 The State Senate Housing and Human Services Committee passed Sen. McDonald Rivet’s Senate Bill 3, landmark legislation that will increase Michigan’s Working Families Tax Credit to a 30 percent match of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The 30 percent match would be immediate and retroactively apply to tax year 2022.
“This is about adding needed money to workers’ pockets now without adding government bureaucracy. If we go big enough, we can improve stability and opportunities for one million children—that’s half of our state’s kids. We can do right by our working families who helped get us through the pandemic, and incentivize work to address the labor shortage strangling our recovery since then.” —State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet
Jan. 26, 2023 — The Michigan Senate passed Senate Bill 3, sending it to the Michigan House of Representatives. The 30 percent match of the federal EITC would return around $553 million to local economies and small businesses and benefit nearly 750,000 Michigan workers and their children.
Delivering a half a billion dollar annual tax break to those who need it the most, this bill will make Michigan a national leader in families reaching economic stability.
“Decades of research indicates that families mostly use the EITC to pay for necessities like food and childcare, repair homes, maintain vehicles that are needed to commute to work, and in some cases, obtain additional education or training to boost their employability and earning power. That makes today’s action a win for small businesses, local economies, workers, and their children.” —State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet
Watch >>
Housing & Human Services Committee Hearing On Working Families Tax Credit
Sen. McDonald Rivet Delivers First Floor Speech On Working Families Tax Credit
Retirement Tax Repeal
Jan. 26, 2023 — Hours after voting to pass Senate Bill 3 (Working Families Tax Credit Increase to 30%), Michigan Senate Democrats passed Senate Bill 1 (Pension Tax Repeal). Combined, SB 1 and SB 3 stand to give almost $1 billion back to Michigan workers and retirees.
SB 1 increases the deduction that senior taxpayers may claim each year, ultimately undoing the punitive and partisan tax on pensions enacted in 2012. Under the bill, senior taxpayers would have the option to exempt 100% of income from public pensions and allow $60,000 for singles and $114,000 for married returns to be deducted from nonpublic pensions or retirement income. Senior taxpayers will also have the option to use the pre-2012 tax system if it is more beneficial to them. In addition to public pensions and private pensions, this bill impacts retirement income from 401k plans and IRAs.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Jan. 20, 2023 — General Motors Making Massive Investment In Mid-Michigan
Sen. McDonald Rivet was thrilled to join Bay City Powertrain Plant Manager John Lancaster and General Motors VP of NA Manufacturing Operations, Mike Trevorrow, when they announced GM’s $216 million investment in the Bay City site. Combined with new Flint dollars, $800 million total will boost these Mid-Michigan economies.
An important part of GM’s massive investment in Bay City and Flint is who helped earn it. Kudos to the dedicated employees at Bay City Powertrain, UAW Local 362, and Flint Engine Ops for their high- quality work. And kudos to GM for rewarding that work with this valuable commitment. As Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist said, “They chose to bet on you.”
Bay County Farm Bureau; Saginaw’s Community Alliance for the People
Sen. McDonald Rivet heard from members and shared updates at Bay County Farm Bureau’s Legislative Breakfast on Jan. 20 (below, left). On Jan. 21, she spent the afternoon with the Community Alliance for the People hearing Saginaw residents lead discussions about housing (below, right).
SVSU Henry Marsh Institute for Public Policy
Sen. McDonald Rivet delivered keynote remarks to Saginaw Valley State University Henry Marsh Institute for Public Policy’s graduates and incoming cohort on Jan. 20. Fun facts: Our Legislative Director Stephen Prince; District & Constituent Services Director Kevin Hayes; and Intern Diva Patel are all Henry Marsh alumni! Fun surprise: Stephen was honored for his recent work as Henry Marsh’s Program Director. The Henry Marsh Institute’s mission is to educate citizens to be effective advocates and change agents in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
50th Anniversary of Roe
(Bottom left) Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet speaks to an audience of Midland area residents who gathered for the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade on Sunday, Jan. 22.
Gubernatorial Visit to Saginaw
(Above right) Friday, Jan. 27— Sen. McDonald Rivet introduced Gov. Gretchen Whitmer who spoke to the United Auto Workers Local 699 in Saginaw about “Lowering MI Costs.” Announced in her State of the State address, that plan to help working families includes expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (Senate Bill 3) and repealing the pension tax (Senate Bill 1). House Rep. Amos O’Neal and UAW Region 1D Director Steve Dawes also joined and spoke.
Merrill Elementary Career Day
Career days help students connect what they learn in school to opportunities in the work world. (Below left) Sen. McDonald Rivet was happy to talk with these youngsters about lessons learned in recent jobs and about her newest position as a public servant.
Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services (STARS) Tours
Executive Director Glenn Steffens led Sen. McDonald Rivet on a tour of the Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services facility. New buses, recently purchased with $4 million of federal funds secured by U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, will improve fleet reliability and riders’ access to medical and mental healthcare, education, and jobs.
Steffens, the Senator and Rep. Amos O’Neal then received a tour of the Potter Street Station (photos above) from current owners, The Saginaw Depot Preservation Society. Last fall, the Saginaw City Council unanimously approved protecting Potter Street Station via the Michigan Local Historic Districts Act of 1970 which opens the property to grants and preservation initiatives. STARS has contracted a study to assess the Potter Street Station and other sites for operations expansion.
CORRECTION
We initially failed to link information related to an announcement in our prior newsletter. We have since included the hyperlink, apologize for the mistake, and encourage those interested to learn more now: CITY OF SAGINAW RECEIVES CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT STATUS TO SUPPORT HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACTIVITIES
COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, OFFICE OF SEN. KRISTEN MCDONALD RIVET
WEBSITE CONTACT FORM: This is the best, fastest way to reach us.
https://senatormcdonaldrivet.com/mcdonaldrivet/contactWEBSITE NEWS PAGE: This page archives our official press releases and statements. https://senatormcdonaldrivet.com/mcdonaldrivet/press/
SOCIAL MEDIA: These accounts publish frequently, so they are great and timely ways to access news and information on events. However, please note they are not official government websites and not well suited for constituent correspondence.