We’ve been working on our annual report for 2018, and in looking back on our highlights from last year, a clear pattern has emerged. In addition to a lot of defensive battles, with varying degrees of success, our biggest policy “wins” for the people of Michigan each year are almost always found in the state budget.
Part of the reason is that budget policy is a large focus of our work. But part of it is that the budget has been the biggest opportunity for compromise in recent years.
In the fiscal year 2019 state budget, these bipartisan victories included: increasing funding for child care and the Early On program; continuing the “heat and eat” policy to provide needed nutrition to families with low incomes, seniors and people with disabilities; increasing the annual clothing allowance for children living in deep poverty; and providing funding to address water and infrastructure issues with PFAS and lead.
And with shared political power between the legislative and executive branches, that stands to be even truer in 2019, with a process that begins today when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer presents her budget for fiscal year 2020.
For the 2020 Michigan budget, the League has released our own state budget priorities to offer guidance to lawmakers and residents on how to: meet the basic needs of Michigan children, older adults and people with disabilities; make sure all Michiganders have access to needed healthcare; help working parents access affordable, high-quality child care and early education services; and strengthen public education in Michigan from cradle to career.
The League also has two overarching priorities that we hope lawmakers will take into consideration throughout the budget process: Address the racial, ethnic and social justice impact of state budget decisions and create fair tax structures that provide adequate revenue to fund these priorities.
On behalf of Michigan residents, the League urges policymakers to focus on these priorities. And with the governor’s State of the State address, the House Republican majority’s action plan, and priorities that have been outlined by all of the legislative caucuses, I am excited to see a lot of common ground.
This not only means that we’re succeeding as a nonpartisan organization, but that elected officials are hearing about the same needs from their constituents as we are. It also means that a lot of these issues will likely be addressed in the 2020 budget.
In the House Republicans’ action plan, we were pleased to see priorities like “Continuing to fix our roads and bridges,” “Ensuring safe and clean drinking water,” and “Continuing impactful criminal justice reform.”
The plan also recognized the need for investments in many of these areas, meaning they will be a part of the House Republicans’ budget priorities. My optimism on these topics was reinforced by a friendly and productive meeting I recently had with House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering).
Whitmer’s first State of the State outlined her vision for Michigan and unveiled some new proposals, but her budget presentation today is where she’ll reveal detailed plans and how to pay for them. We are all anxious to see her plan to “fix the damn roads,” as well as improve our schools, provide more higher education opportunities for young people and more skills training for adults.
As a former lawmaker myself, I know the devil is always in the details, or in the case of the state budget, in the line items. The debate will likely get more heated over how things will be paid for than what the overarching needs of our state are.
And the League will be there if it does, dousing the fiery rhetoric with a steady stream of data, analysis and historical context.
The downside of having your big issues entwined with the budget is that these fights have to happen year after year, especially with a new governor and a brand-new crop of legislators. But being part of the annual process means we’re seasoned, fire-forged and battle-ready.
We look forward to another state budget season, and ultimately, some more state budget wins for all Michiganders.
This column originally appeared in Michigan Advance on March 1, 2019.
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.
