Friends, Spring is here, and while the temperatures haven’t quite matched the sunshine, I’m happy to see some warmer weather on the horizon. I hope you will be able to take advantage of the forecast and spend some time outside with family and friends. Included in this newsletter:
If you have any questions, would like to comment on pending legislation, or resolve any issues in state government, please do not hesitate to contact my office by phone at (517) 373-8360 or by email at SenPWojno@senate.michigan.gov. Warmest regards, |
Paul Wojno GOVERNOR SIGNS $4.8 BILLION BUDGET TO HELP GROW ECONOMY On Wednesday, March 30, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan, which was approved by both the House and Senate the week before. The supplemental budget bill package will help grow Michigan’s economy as the state continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Supplemental Details The plan addresses a range of priorities, including: Water: More than $1 billion will go toward safe drinking water funding, which includes help for communities tackling toxic contaminants including PFAS. The money will also be dedicated to the replacement of lead service lines (including 100% of those in Benton Harbor). Another $712 million will go toward a clean water grant and loan program, including assistance to protect public health and to fix failing septic systems, while $50 million will go toward hydration stations in schools and childcare facilities. Upgrading Michigan’s dams is also a priority under the supplemental, with more than $300 million in additional support being funded for repairs to high-risk structures. This includes $250 million for disaster relief and dams in Midland and Gladwin counties. Transportation: The plan has more than $380 million for road and bridge repairs and pump stations to prevent highway flooding and improve public transportation. High-speed Internet: $250 million is being set aside to expand broadband access and connect more households and small businesses to fast, reliable high-speed internet. Parks: The plan directs $250 million to improve state parks and recreation areas, with another $200 million for local parks, including trails to enhance tourism and boost the outdoor recreation industry. Money will also be used to fund the construction of a new state park in Flint. Housing: Community and economic development, which includes essential public services and affordable housing, will also see a large amount of funding to help families stay in their homes, fund construction of affordable housing units, and make home repairs. Dedicated money in this area includes $500 million for rent and mortgage assistance; $322 million in COVID relief; nearly $140 million to fight fraud, improve services, and stabilize the Unemployment Insurance Agency’s Trust Fund; $100 million to help develop duplexes, townhouses, and other like housing options; $50 million for home repairs and energy efficiency upgrades; and, $46 million to protect communities from falling revenues that impact critical services. About $3.1 billion of the $4.8 billion is coming from the federal government’s coronavirus-relief efforts. Nearly $1 billion comes from federal infrastructure dollars and $571 million comes from the General Fund. After this supplemental bill package is signed by the governor, there will be approximately $2.8 billion of the discretionary $6.5 billion of federal COVID relief money left over. I was especially proud to see a $72 million investment to be used for priority wastewater infrastructure projects to address combined sewer overflows, pumping capacity, and sewer rehabilitation in Macomb County. >> Read my full statement about the legislation on my website. SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICES ARE NOW REOPENED NATIONWIDE For the first time since March 2020, Social Security offices are open around the country. There are 36 offices across the state of Michigan, including multiple Macomb offices in Roseville, Chesterfield, and Sterling Heights. There are also many other offices across the Metro Detroit area. While appointments aren’t required, the Social Security Administration is highly encouraging residents to schedule one in advance of your visit. The offices are generally busiest first thing in the morning, early in the week, and early in the month. While offices are reopened, the Social Security’s online services will still be available at ssa.gov/onlineservices or via their toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can call the toll-free number at 1-800-325-0778. Online services are available for extended hours throughout the week, while the phone line is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Phone lines are less busy late in the week, or any day before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. When calling the number, people may get a busy signal or be “unintentionally disconnected,” as the agency is transitioning to a new phone system. $4 MILLION INVESTMENT TO PREPARE MICHIGAN’S YOUNG ADULTS On Tuesday, March 29, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the recipients of grants totaling $4 million to provide young adults with a meaningful introduction to the world of work, including jobs skills, onsite, hybrid, and virtual career exploration and preparation activities, and earned income. The Young Professionals program aligns with Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal to increase the number of working-age adults with a skill certificate or college degree to 60% by 2030. The initiative is designed to reduce youth unemployment and place young adults, ages 14-24, on the right path to achieve lifelong economic self-sufficiency and support those who are struggling to obtain employment by exposing them to multiple career and educational opportunities. The Sixty by 30 goal seeks to build a better Michigan in three ways:
More information about the program is available through the Michigan Works! network. To contact the nearest Michigan Works! Service Center, call 800-285-WORKS (9675) or visit MichiganWorks.org. BEWARE OF TEXTS FROM YOUR OWN PHONE NUMBER CNBC recently published a story about the rise in text scams. It’s a problem that’s been on the rise during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s estimated that Americans received 87.8 billion spam texts in 2021 alone — a whopping 58% rise from the previous year. These spam texts, commonly referred to as SMS phishing, or “smishing,” are attacks where scammers try to trick wireless users into sharing personal information or clicking on links that take users to a malicious website. One of the new, common scams which primarily affects Verizon users is to receive a spam text from their own phone number, although SMS phishing and smishing are issues that many non-Verizon customers are facing. All wireless users should be beware of incoming texts from unknown or weird numbers. You should always beware wary of answering phone calls or text messages from unknown numbers, even if they claim (or the number comes from) to be part of the government. Government organizations, such as the IRS, will only contact you through the USPS and will not ask for personal information over the phone. If you receive one of these texts or calls, never share your personal or financial information via text and beware of clicking on any links or attachments from unknown numbers. If you do happen to click on a malicious link, your best bet is to not enter any information, disconnect your device from the internet and check for any apps you don’t remember downloading and delete them. The Michigan Public Service Commission and Attorney General Dana Nessel are dedicated to teaching Michiganders to be smarter consumers in the digital age. The attorney general periodically publishes consumer alerts relating to all kinds of topics, which you can find on the department’s website. The Michigan Public Service Commission also has a page devoted to educating people about important utility subjects and issues.
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As an elected representative, I believe in being readily available and transparent because my office is your office. |