For Immediate Release
Sept. 23, 2020
Contact:
Alex Rossman
arossman@mlpp.org
517-775-9053
Governor, Legislature craft sound budget to help residents, state weather COVID-19 challenges
Positive investments, improvements include increased funding for child care, adult education, Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies, school funding and increased support for assistance programs
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statement on the 2021 budget passed by the Michigan Legislature today. The bill includes investments in several Michigan League for Public Policy budget priorities in the 2021 state budget. This statement can be attributed to President and CEO Gilda Z. Jacobs.
“Michigan kids, workers and parents continue to face unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19, especially families with lower incomes or those struggling with unemployment. But during these tough times, the governor and the Republican-led Legislature rose to the occasion and found a way to invest in some major policy improvements, including many programs and proposals that the Michigan League for Public Policy has been advocating for over many years.”
“As COVID-19 hits our population hard, the need for the state’s vital health and human services programs has been more important than ever. We appreciate policymakers’ understanding of this and the noteworthy increases made to funding for Medicaid, Healthy Michigan Plan and public assistance programs. There’s a reason these programs are called the ‘safety net’—and that they have been a cornerstone of the League’s work since 1912—and we appreciate the role they have played in helping working families get by and bounce back during these trying times.
“Child care remains a key to child development and a strong workforce, but costs continue to be out of reach for too many families. Today’s budget increases the income eligibility level for the state’s child care subsidy, helping more families find affordable care, and we hope to continue to see bipartisan support for other investments in this area.
“Before COVID-19 hit and turned our worlds and state budget upside down, the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies initiative was a focal point of the League’s budget advocacy and analysis, and the major investment today to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months will dramatically improve the health of moms and babies. This program will also help reduce maternal and infant mortality, and the disparate outcomes in those categories by race.
“The League is happy to see the 10 Cents a Meal program expanded statewide. This positive program that connects Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables with the state’s school meal programs is a win-win, and it is especially needed in Southeast Michigan, where food insecurity is particularly high and access to fresh produce continues to be a challenge.
“As COVID-19 continues to impact the job market, Michigan’s older and less skilled workers are being hit particularly hard. They need to go back to school or get training to better prepare for the new job market and earn more money, but the cost of doing so continues to be a huge barrier. Several investments in today’s budget will help make adult education more accessible, including funding for Going Pro, Michigan Reconnect and the Tuition Grant program.
“And after years of advocacy, Michigan’s longstanding lifetime ban on food assistance for individuals with more than one drug felony has finally been stricken from the Department of Health and Human Services boilerplate language. This is a huge win that will make it easier for justice-involved individuals to access food, improving food security, racial equity and disability inclusion while reducing recidivism. We appreciate the bipartisan support for this—and for also working to address this issue permanently with Senate Bill 1006.”
BACKGROUND:
A lot of these issues were included in the League’s 2021 budget priorities as well as its Owner’s Manual for Michigan public policy agenda. The League’s Right Start 2020 report on maternal and infant health lifted the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies program up as a key policy recommendation. And the League continues to be an advocate for the defense, improvement, and expansion of important state and federal assistance programs, including helping justice-involved residents get food access.
###
The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on economic opportunity for all. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
